Former chief justice Eusoff Chin today said that he knew lawyer VK Lingam since early 1990s when he was a Kuala Lumpur High Court judge.


 <img align="left" alt="" src="http://mk-cdn.mkini.net/108/f86cc571b8ba23ee99ee0b2226bb8c3e.jpg"/>
 He said that he first met Lingam then when the lawyer appeared before him for a court case in Kuala Lumpur.


 However, Eusoff added that he did not have a close relationship with the lawyer.


 "We were &lsquo;
 
 kenalan biasa
 
 &rsquo; (acquaintances). Closeness is a matter of degree," he told the royal commission of inquiry into the Lingam tape.


 When pressed, Eusoff said: "(We are) not extremely close."


 Eusoff was the 11th witness to testify in the inquiry which was established to ascertain, among others, the authenticity of a video clip which featured Lingam allegedly brokering judicial appointments with the then chief judge of Malaya Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim.


 The former chief justice also denied knowledge of all seven references of him in the controversial video, when Anti-Corruption Agency prosecutor Nordin Hassan led him through a transcript of the 14-minute clip.


 Eusoff was also badgered with questions over his overseas holiday trip with Lingam to New Zealand in 1994.


 The former top judge responded time and again that he had met Lingam and his family by chance during the holiday and that Lingam had wanted to tag along.


 
 




 
 
 Eusoff wants legal counsel
 
 




 <img align="right" alt="" src="http://mk-cdn.mkini.net/108/43919a72a936ff9d4b8ef1c1ce2eb5e1.gif"/>
 At one point, an exasperated Eusoff told Bar Council lawyer Ranjit Singh: "You are out here to hammer me."


 Ranjit responded: &ldquo;No, we are not here to hammer anybody&rdquo;.


 In the wake of a slew of questions being hurled at Eusoff, commission member Steve Shim asked his former boss if he wanted the matter to be adjourned to allow him to appoint a legal counsel.


 Eusoff agreed and argued that the commission had acted unwisely to allow irrelevant questions to be asked of him.


 
 Eusoff:
 
 I would like to (seek) legal representation ... Initially, I thought there were wise people up there (who would) naturally know what is relevant... (interrupted)


 
 Commissioner Mahadev Shanker:
 
 So your stand is that these questions should not be put because they are outside the terms of reference. But you are under oath and they are now challenging the credibility of your answers. So is your credibility not relevant? I know you don't want to answer questions outside the terms of reference but what if they impeach your credibility? We are also biting the bullet.


 The inquiry has been adjourned to Monday to allow Eusoff to appoint legal representation.


 
 
 Infamous holiday photos
 
 




 Eusoff's relationship with Lingam has long been a scandalous one with
 <a href="http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/2760">
 
 photographs
 
 </a>
 emerging on the Internet of them having holidays together in New Zealand in December 1994.


 <img align="left" alt="" src="http://mk-cdn.mkini.net/46/a6f4a1465b420bbc48178007fa624d4a.jpg"/>
 Ranjit interrogated Eusoff at length while referring to the latter's travel itinerary prepared by Holiday Tours and Travel and a newspaper report.
 <a href="http://www.malaysiakini.com/doc/eusoff_chin_nz_trip_itinerary.php">
 
 [See travel itinerary]
 
 </a>


 According to Eusoff, he was on holiday with his wife Rosaini Mustaffa, daughter Zubaidah and son Johan while Lingam was with his wife and two daughters.


 Eusoff had always maintained his innocence, stating that he "bumped" into Lingam and his family at the airport and the latter had "tagged along" for the entire eight-day trip around New Zealand.


 
 Ranjit:
 
 According to the news report (
 
 The Sun
 
 , June 7, 2000), you said, "I bumped into him there. As a Malaysian in a foreign country, I was happy to see a fellow countryman. I told him I was going to the zoo and he asked if he could tag along. I told him I was taking the bus there and he said he did not mind so he came along. He also wanted to take pictures with me and I obliged."


 Do you recall making those statements?


 
 Eusoff:
 
 Well, I gave some press statements. I can't remember exactly. I bumped into him, yes, I met him earlier in Singapore airport.


 
 Eusoff:
 
 The thing is, he wanted to tag along. When I said I was going here, he said he wanted to come along. He said, "can I come along?" I said "Yes".


 
 Ranjit:
 
 Did VK Lingam and his family tag along the entire trip in Auckland?


 
 Eusoff:
 
 Yes.


 The inquiry heard that Eusoff and his family took a Malaysian Airlines flight to Singapore on Dec 22, 1994 while Lingam and his family flew to Singapore on a separate flight. Both parties then boarded the same flight to Auckland on business class.


 The commission was also told that the two families proceeded to Christchurch four days later, made a trip to Queenstown in a shared van before returning to Kuala Lumpur via Singapore on Dec 30.


 
 
 Separate itineraries
 
 




 While Eusoff did not deny travelling with Lingam, he said he could not remember many details of the holiday.


 
 Ranjit:
 
 So is he travelling with you?


 
 Eusoff:
 
 His and mine (are) separate itineraries.


 
 <img align="right" alt="" src="http://mk-cdn.mkini.net/107/1af7cbd88dd870051b6dab390ed35399.gif"/>
 
 
 Ranjit:
 
 Are you suggesting that Lingam got hold of your itinerary and followed you so that he can be close to you?


 
 Eusoff:
 
 Possible.


 
 Ranjit:
 
 I can't see any plausible reason other than he wanted to be close to you physically.


 
 Eusoff:
 
 I can't say what he thinks but Edgar Joseph, my colleague, came back from New Zealand and told me it's a nice place to visit so I told my secretary to get a tour agent to plan a trip for a week or so. If he want to come and tag along, it is out of my control.


 Eusoff appeared agitated as Ranjit questioned him as to the appropriateness of permitting Lingam to join him on the trip given his position as chief justice. He also appeared evasive in answering that he could not prevent Lingam from following him.


 
 Ranjit:
 
 You bump into him (Lingam), he follows you everywhere, you share the same van. Why did you allow him? He is a lawyer in Malaysia who has appeared before you in court. Judges don't do these things. There is a limit. Why did you allow him?


 
 Eusoff:
 
 The van accommodates nine persons.


 
 Ranjit:
 
 Including the driver?


 
 Eusoff:
 
 Yes.


 
 Ranjit:
 
 Can you explain how did VK Lingam manage to buy the same internal flights from Queenstown to Christchurch, the same flights as you? Can you explain? VK Lingam appears to be following you...


 
 Eusoff:
 
 He (goes) to the airport, travel agent or whatever. I told him I had to be back for work. He said he wants to come so how can I stop him? It's his money!


 
 Ranjit:
 
 You said you had no connection with VK Lingam, then why do you tell him you are going back for work?


 
 Eusoff:
 
 He asked where am I going, so I say I'm going here and here, and he want to follow. I also can travel with you (referring to Ranjit).


 
 Ranjit:
 
 I never travel with Eusoff Chin, never.


 
 
 &lsquo;Don&rsquo;t know Vincent Tan&rsquo;
 
 




 <img align="left" alt="" src="http://mk-cdn.mkini.net/46/df21361175d8dbf90a66207d0d091bdf.jpg"/>
 Addressing the infamous holiday photo of him and Lingam, Eusoff explained that he often entertained photo requests from students and senior lawyers who wanted to be photographed with him.


 "Everybody, wherever I go, from law students (to others) want to take pictures with me. So I can't stop him," he said.


 When pressed, Eusoff answered that approximately five or 10 photographs were taken with Lingam but most of his pictures were of his family.


 "If you bump into him, maybe a lawyer wants to take photos with the chief judge of Malaysia, but he will only take one or two and move on. So the number of photos is pertinent," Ranjit told the inquiry.


 Meanwhile, replying to another question from Nordin whether he knew businessman Vincent Tan, Eusoff said: "(I) don't know him".


 However, he said he had seen Tan at several functions which he had also attended including at Hari Raya gatherings.


 When asked further by Nordin whether he had seen the video clip in dispute, Eusoff said: "Yes, the ACA had shown it to me."


 Eusoff also denied meeting and discussing with Lingam the appointment of Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim as the president of Court of Appeal and the chief justice.


 He also said that he had never sent any memo to Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who was then prime minister, on the appointment of five High Court judges including Heliliah Yusof, Ramly Ali and Ahmad Maarof.


 <a href="http://www.malaysiakini.tv/?vid=15396">
 
 
 </a>


 Watch 2-min video of Eusoff arriving and leaving the court complex

<img align="left" alt="" src="http://mk-cdn.mkini.net/97/23feafe7f53d02e2e9baf7a996456c7a.gif"/>
 updated 6.30pm
 
 
 The ex-chief justice appeared agitated over repeated questioning over his holiday with Lingam in New Zealand 14 years ago. You're out here to hammer me, he told the inquiry.
 
 
 [VIDEO INSIDE]

Ties with Lingam not 'extremely' close

~RM12

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