The government cannot yet provide an assurance of absolute immunity to the two whistleblowers in the explosive 'Lingam tape'
 
 <a href="/news/72772" target="_blank">
 scandal
 </a>
 
 , if they decide to come forward.


 
 <img align="right" alt="" border="0" height="254" hspace="7" src="http://corp.malaysiakini.com/cms/ib/data/4/96/24120.jpg" style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 254px" width="200"/>
 De facto
 
 law minister Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz, who raised the matter at the weekly cabinet meeting this morning, said the cabinet has yet to make any decision to accord such protection pending completion of the three-member panel's investigation.


 "The government's stand is that we must allow the panel to go ahead with the investigation and at the end of it, we will consider what their report says and requests (made)," he said when contacted this afternoon.


 "If (the report says) they (are unable) to investigate because the lack of cooperation (from witnesses) and they need assistance to protect the informants, then we will consider (this). As it is, there is no formal request yet and this must come from the panel."


 The cabinet meeting held in Putrajaya was chaired by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.


 Nazri, who is minister in the Prime Minister's Department, had earlier told the press he would ask the cabinet to give protection to the whistleblowers.


 This was after he conceded that
 
 <a href="/news/73408" target="_blank">
 he made a mistake
 </a>
 
 when he argued on Sunday that there was a Witness Protection Act to protect informants, when such a law does not exist.


 
 
 Guarantee vital
 
 


 In an interview with
 
 Malaysiakini
 
 yesterday, he also noted that such protection should be similar to that provided under the Commissions of Enquiry Act 1950 to encourage the whistleblowers to come forward.


 "This is what the government must do, (it) must give protection, including (withholding) action against sources in civil proceedings (in future). We must guarantee this, or (the panel) can't do its job," he said.


 Opposition PKR has been told by the Anti-Corruption Agency to
 
 <a href="/news/73429" target="_blank">
 reveal
 </a>
 
 its sources by tomorrow or face a possible two-year jail term. However, its officers have pledged not to reveal the names until sufficient protection is extended.


 <img align="left" alt="" border="0" height="146" hspace="7" src="http://corp.malaysiakini.com/cms/ib/data/1/97/24349.gif" style="WIDTH: 219px; HEIGHT: 146px" width="219"/>
 The video clip, released by PKR's Anwar Ibrahim on Sept 19, shows senior lawyer VK Lingam talking on the phone purportedly with current Chief Justice Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim on the appointment of 'friendly' judges.


 Ahmad Fairuz was the chief judge of Malaya when the clip was said to be recorded in 2002. He has since denied his involvement through Nazri, while Lingam has yet to comment.


 The clip sparked public outrage - especially within the legal fraternity - and prompted the government's move to set up a three-member panel headed by an ex-judge to look into the authenticity of the clip.


 However, critics have dismissed the panel as mere whitewash, as it is only empowered to look into the authenticity of the clip and is powerless to deal with the claims raised in the recording.


 The panel has been given 30 working days to complete their task from their appointment on Sept 27.


 
 <a href="/news/72772" target="_blank">
 SPECIAL REPORT: The Lingam tape
 </a>

<img align="right" alt="" border="0" height="64" hspace="0" src="http://corp.malaysiakini.com/cms/ib/data/2/5/1268.jpg" style="WIDTH: 64px; HEIGHT: 64px" width="64"/>
 The Lingam tape
 

The cabinet is unable as yet to provide them an assurance of absolute immunity, according to

 de facto

minister Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz, who had raised hopes yesterday.

Whistleblowers out in the cold

~RM12

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