Friday, January 25, 2008

CNN Interviews PM Abdullah Tonight (25th Jan 08) 8.30pm (Malaysian Time) Tonight; Stay Tune – Full 5 min Video Clip Loaded, Transcript to follow

Watch the Video Clip Full Interview (5.09 mins) loaded Transcript in next Post

= = == = == == =



= = == = == == == = === UPDATE PM returns with Jeanne after extended Honeymoon & Holiday on the Side-line

PM, Jeanne Leave Davos For Home
From Yong Soo Heong
DAVOS, Jan 26 (Bernama) -- Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his wife, Datin Seri Jeanne Abdullah, left for home Saturday after attending the World Economic Forum (WEF) here for the past three days.

ABOVE & BELOW: PM Abdullah lapping it up at the Forum

They were seen off at the Zurich airport by Malaysian Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Datuk Seri Dr Jamaludin Jarjis and the Malaysian Ambassador to Switzerland, Datuk Mohd Yusof Ahmad.Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar and Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh also left for home today. Besides speaking at two plenary sessions at the WEF, Abdullah also held several bilateral meetings with political and business leaders, including President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan and Eric Schmidt, Chief Executive Officer of Google Inc,(BELOW) during his working visit here.

The prime minister described the WEF as a useful and responsive forum as it discussed various matters of vital concern emerging in the world today. A case in point was the problem affecting global financial markets today, he said. Jeanne, meanwhile, participated in a separate programme and visited an Alpine cheese factory.

= == == = == = =

Fresh mandate will be timely, says Abdullah
KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said a fresh mandate would arm the Barisan Nasional government to meet the challenges of the near future. The prime minister told CNN that an early general election was being considered due to several factors. "There are a lot of issues in the future and having a (new) mandate will be good," he said in a live interview from Davos, Switzerland yesterday. "We will call for the election when I think everything is all right and at the moment I think people are ready for the election."

Abdullah said he was not mulling a snap poll more than a year before the current parliamentary term expires in order to pre-empt former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim from contesting the elections. "There are other factors in my mind that I have to think about before I recommend the dissolution of parliament and fix the date for the elections," he said. Asked on the Hindraf street protests, the prime minister said the government was talking to non-governmental organisations representing the Indian community and meeting Hindu priests on the status and welfare of temples.

He said the issues concerning the country's Indian minority had been attended to for a long time. "We know that we have done fairly well but still there is a small percentage of people who are poor." Abdullah said 1.2 per cent of the population was still categorised as hard-core poor and the poverty level stood at 5.7 per cent. "We got this figure after reducing poverty from 60 per cent when we became independent. It's a success. But if you want to pick up on poor people, it is because we have yet to complete our agenda on the eradication of poverty," he said. Abdullah, who chairs the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, was also asked whether the voices of moderate Islam were being drowned by the rise of Islamic extremism and anti-Western sentiment.

He said the root causes of violence and terrorism had to be addressed first. "But this is a subject not many people want to discuss. They don't want to know the root causes and just want to see what is happening and take action. "Mostly, the actions are very strong in terms of military responses," he said. He added that poverty, illiteracy and backwardness among some Muslim groups must be tackled.

= == = == ==

A brief account of Interview
January 25, 2008 22:32 PM
BN Wants Good Mandate To Weather Many Issues
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 25 (Bernama) -- The Barisan Nasional (BN) needs a good mandate from the people to allow the government to deal with a myriad of issues in future. "There are too many things, we have to face a lot of issues in the future, (thus) having a good mandate from the people will be very good," said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi when interviewed "live" on the CNN tonight. While acknowledging that the people were prepared for the election, Abdullah however kept the date of the election to his chest.

"We will call for the election when I think everything is alright and at the moment I think people are ready for the election," he said. "Can't tell you the date, we have to dissolve the Parliament first," he said. In the interview, Abdullah refuted claims that he would be calling for an early election so that former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim would not be eligible to contest. "That is not a factor in my mind. There are other factors I think about before deciding on the date of the election," he said.

On allegations that the Indian community was not being treated fairly, Abdullah said the government was engaged in constant discussions with them to address any of their grievances. "We are talking to their group and NGOs representing the Indian community, we also have representatives talking to Indian priests, we are talking to many people as far as addressing the issues affecting various people, we are doing it," he said. On poverty, he said, the government had successfully reduced the poverty rate from 60 percent during the pre-independence period to only 5.7 percent now including 1.2 percent hardcore poor category through various programmes.= == = == == = == = == == =

It will be on at 8.45pm, Astro Channel 511 - CNN

ABOVE: Interviewed with a CAP on from Davos, Switzerland. Live pic captured at 8.49pm

Interview lasted 5 mins, Transcript Coming soon, Check back later

He was asked on a few issues like the date of election, need for an early election, (good mandate) willing to face Anwar Ibrahim in an election, the protest Hindraf Rally, steps to address them, OIC Chairman (57 members) rise of Islamic problems, voice of moderate Islamic voice

with footages of the protest see BELOW. More details & pics & Video of Interview soon


CNN Interviews PM Abdullah Tonight (25th Jan 2008) 8.30pm (Malaysian Time); Stay TuneTranscript & Video will be available as soon as Possible

PM Abdullah attending the World Economic Forum is seeking some publicity to salvage the image of Malaysia after all the exposes in recent months. What can he say to correct the image given the limited time? Stay tune if you have the time to listen. It must be in English in CNN

In addition he is also seeking an “audience” (ABOVE) with Google CEO Eric Schmidt to “discuss” investment opportunities with special offers perhaps. BELOW: The "tag along hanger on" Ministers at Davos - Malaysian Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Datuk Seri Dr Jamaludin Jarjis and Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar

= == = == == = == =
January 25, 2008 17:51 PM
Abdullah
To Be Interviewed By CNN Tonight

From Yong Soo Heong; DAVOS, Jan 25 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will join the ranks of other world leaders and business leaders attending the World Economic Forum here to be interviewed "live" by CNN Friday. He is scheduled to be interviewed by the TV station at 8.30pm Malaysian time. During his three-day working visit here, Abdullah also met with editors from leading media groups, including The Economist, to enable them to have a better insight on developments in Malaysia. On the final day of his visit Friday, the prime minister will hold bilateral meetings with Austrian Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer and former Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.

He will also call on the President of Switzerland, Pascal Counchepin. Abdullah is also expected to hold a meeting with Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google, Inc, the Internet search engine giant which has expressed interest to invest in Malaysia. The prime minister will speak at a plenary session on "The Emerging Asian Community: The Role of Asean" and attend a private meeting with the co-chairs of the 2008 World Economic Forum on East Asia, scheduled to be held in Kuala Lumpur on June 15 and 16

= == = = =Some UPDATE on Day 9 – RCI; Morning testimony was in Camera . Open in afternoon and the Video Clip was again stated as authentic. There was a silly question about the “age of the Video Clip by analyzing the Camera”. Easier & Better to check the Model the Sony Camera was released in the market and you can tell if the Clip age is in the year 2001 as the recorder Gwo Burne mentioned he got the camera two weeks before he corded the Clip

January 25, 2008 20:01 PM
Video Clip Is Authentic, Says Witness
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 25 (Bernama) -- An expert witness today maintained his finding that the content of the controversial "Lingam" video clip is authentic. Mohd Zabry Adil Talib said the two tests he carried out showed that the voice of the speaker in the video clip was consistent with his movement. Replying to Royal Commission of Inquiry chairman Tan Sri Haidar Mohamed Noor, Mohamad Zabry, a digital forensic expert with Cyber Security Malaysia, confirmed that there was no dubbing or interference with the content of the 14 minutes and 15 seconds video clip. "Each video file has acceleration. If there is dubbing, we will definitely detect it although it requires closer analysis and audio

tests," he said. To a question from Salehuddin Saidin, counsel for former chief justice Tun Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim who has been implicated in the video clip, he said that after analysing the video camera, he could not establish the age of the recording. The inquiry is to ascertain, among others, the authenticity of the video clip purportedly featuring lawyer V.K.Lingam brokering judicial appointments over the phone.

More details & pics of Vincent Tan at Day 9 of RCI

ABOVE & BELOW: The powerful business tycoon Vincent Tan at Day 9 of the RCI, who could snap his finger and demanded anything he wanted at the height of the Mahathir's era

= == = == =Coming next post 51 Arrested in KLCC Protes against Price Hikes including PAS Treasurer HATTA

MORE PICS & Video Clip





Day 8-RCI – Lazar Cannot Question Lingam on “fixing of cases & outcome”; Many Coincidences - NZ Holiday Trip; Flew KL-S’pore on Different Planes

Bar barred from pursuing alleged case fixing

R. Surenthira Kumar and Llew-Ann Phang; theSUN

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 24, 2008): The Royal Commission of Inquiry into the controversial video clip today barred the Malaysian Bar from questioning lawyer Datuk V.K. Lingam on alleged fixing of judgments in several cases handled by the lawyer over which former Chief Justice Tun Mohamed Eusoff Chin had presided;
Quotes:

"There are features in these cases which are disturbing enough to show, (at this point, he referred to the transcript) which states, "Yeah, Eusoff Chin in power, I can straight get Pom, Pom, Pom, Pom." - Bar's Robert Lazar.
"So, now we are going to the …Pom, Pom, Pom, Pom." - Commission member Datuk Mahadev Shankar.
"The focus here was more on whether Lingam should be allowed to be questioned on the
New Zealand holiday. There has been a miscommunication; I did not think you would be going further than that." - Commission chairman Tan Sri Haidar Mohamed Noor.


Commission chairman Tan Sri Haidar Mohamed Noor, who made this ruling, said the questions posed to Lingam cannot go beyond issues related to his trip to
New Zealand in 1994, which the Bar was trying to prove was arranged together with Mohamed Eusoff to establish their "closeness".

Haidar said: "We will not allow the line of questioning which falls outside the Commission’s terms of reference, in particular on the identity of the person speaking on the phone in the video clip allegedly discussing the appointment of judges, to be continued."
Malaysian Bar’s representative Robert Lazar, who handled the questioning, immediately sought clarification.

Lazar:(ABOVE) Is the Commission saying the fixing of cases and their outcome is outside the terms of reference?
Haidar: Yes, its outside.
Lazar: Does this also mean our earlier submission on the alleged fixing of cases is disallowed?
Haidar: Yes, it is disallowed. We hope with the decision, it will now enlighten the counsels the direction that they should take.
Lazar then sought an adjournment to obtain further instructions on this matter.
The Bar representative found himself in quicksand when, after earlier questioning Lingam on his New Zealand trip, he started highlighting several cases, including the M.G.G. Pillai vs Tan Sri Vincent Tan and Insas Bhd vs Megapolitan Nominees Sdn Bhd in which Ayer Molek Rubber Co Bhd was the first defendant.
These cases were handled by Lingam, and the judgments were in his clients' favour. Haidar stopped Lazar from going further.

Haidar: You have gone beyond the New Zealand trip. What is your objective in pursuing this line of questioning?
Lazar: Our objective is to show the witness (Lingam) appeared before Mohamed Eusoff after the holiday in New Zealand.
Commission member Tan Sri Steve Shim Lip Kiong asked if Lazar was trying to establish if Lingam should have discharged himself due to his closeness with Mohamed Eusoff and if so, the proposition had been objected to by Lingam’s lawyer R.Thayalan.
He suggested Lazar discontinue with the questioning on the matter until the Commission decided on it.
Another Commission member Datuk Mahadev Shankar said Lazar’s line of questioning has got nothing to do with the issue of appointment of judges, as what transpired in the video clip.

Lazar: There are features in these cases which are disturbing enough to show, (at this point, he referred to the transcript) which states, "Yeah, Eusoff Chin in power, I can straight get Pom, Pom, Pom, Pom."
Mahadev Shankar: So, now we are going to the …Pom, Pom, Pom, Pom.
Shim: We have not made a decision on that, we have to look at the submissions made by Thayalan and the others.
Haidar: The focus here was more on whether Lingam should be allowed to be questioned on the New Zealand holiday. There has been a miscommunication; I did not think you would be going further than that.
The Commission took a brief break before making its decision that effectively prevents Lazar from continuing his line of questioning.

ABOVE: Lingam arriving on Day 8 and BELOW: still smiling inside the lift

= == == = == = = ==
Lingam denies NZ trip jointly arranged
KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 24, 2008): Lawyer Datuk V.K. Lingam today denied that his trip to New Zealand in 1994 was arranged together with former Chief Justice Tun Mohamed Eusoff Chin but could not explain why reservations of the flight tickets were faxed to the joint attention of two persons, Rohani and Jayanthi. Malaysian Bar representative Robert Lazar, who was questioning Lingam on the trip to try and show his closeness with Mohamed Eusoff, said the then top judge had earlier testified that Rohani was his secretary.

He then asked Lingam whether he knew anyone by the name of Jayanthi, and the latter replied that he had a secretary by that name.Lingam said he was not aware of the reservation and added: "There are many Indian women with the name of Jayanthi."

Lazar: Can I suggest to you, Rohani and Jayanthi’s name were there because you and Mohamed Eusoff planned the New Zealand trip together?
Lingam: That is not true.
Lazar: So you are telling this Commission that it is a coincidence that you and Mohamed Eusoff used the same travel agent?
Lingam: There is nothing unusual about it. It was not pre-planned, it was a coincidence.

Lazar: Are you saying that your meeting with Mohamed Eusoff at Changi airport (Singapore) was a chance encounter?
Lingam: That is correct.

Lazar: Can I suggest to you, one more reason why it is not a coincidence? The first flight, from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore. Mohamed Eusoff and his family left on a Malaysia Airlines flight while you and your family left on a Singapore Airlines flight, because you did not want anyone to spot you and Mohamed Eusoff boarding the same flight.
Lingam: That is not true.
In a reply to another question on the trip, Lingam said he booked the flight to
New Zealand through a travel agency named Udara Travel and Tours Sdn Bhd.
But when Lazar showed him a copy of a
Dec 21, 1994, Bank of Nova Scotia cheque for RM24,912, issued by Lingam to Holiday Travel and Tours Sdn Bhd, the lawyer admitted he had an account with the bank.
This exchange took place on the eighth day of the inquiry into a video clip allegedly featuring a senior lawyer brokering the appointment of judges.
Earlier, to a question from Lazar, Lingam said he and Mohamed Eusoff’s family were not on the same flight to
Auckland, New Zealand, when they boarded the plane in Kuala Lumpur.
But Lingam agreed he and Mohamed Eusoff’s family were on board the same business class flight to
Auckland from Singapore.
Lazar: In Auckland, did you and your family and Mohamed Eusoff’s family stay in the same hotel?
Lingam: That is not true. We never stayed in the same hotel.

Lazar: You are positive Mohamed Eusoff’s family was not in the same hotel as your family?
Lingam: To the best of my recollection, not in the same hotel. It had been 13 years now, I cannot remember.
Lazar: Did you meet up with Mohamed Eusoff and the members of his family while you were in Auckland?
Lingam: To the best of my recollection, I first met him and his family at a zoo in
Auckland and later went to the bird park.
Lazar: Was that the only occasion you and your family were with Mohamed Eusoff or were there other occasions?
Lingam: We did not tag along with him.

Lazar: It will not be right to say that you spent most of the time with Mohamed Eusoff and his family?
Lingam: That is correct.

Lazar continued questioning Lingam on the itinerary of his visit to Auckland, Christchurch and Queestown and whether Mohamed Eusoff also went to the same locations.
Lingam agreed Mohamed Eusoff also travelled to the same spots, but he had a separate itinerary of places to visit during the trip.

He admitted that besides his family and Mohamed Eusoff’s family, his bodyguard Tan Chong Paw, also accompanied them to New Zealand.
He said the trip was pre-planned by him and Mohamed Eusoff separately and it was a coincidence they met in the Changi airport in
Singapore before traveling together to New Zealand.

Lazar asked Lingam about the ride in a van together with Mohamed Eusoff to another tourist attraction site in Queenstown from Christchurch.
Lazar: To say that you tagged along with Mohamed Eusoff is not true?
Lingam: The ride in the van is coincidental. He decided to tag along with me.
Earlier, when the day started, Haidar had asked lawyers representing Mohamed Eusoff for their stand on the questioning of Lingam on the
New Zealand holiday.
Lawyer Zamani Ibrahim said they would align themselves with Lingam’s lawyer, R.Thayalan’s stand and also that of lawyer Kamarul Hisham Kamaruddin who represents former Chief Justice Tun Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim.
Both Thayalan and Kamarul Hisham had objected to the line of questioning against Lingam on the aspect of closeness of Lingam with their clients.
The Commission also said they would allow lawyer Wee Choo Keong and his co-counsel John Fan to submit on behalf of V.Thirunama Karasu, the younger brother of Lingam, who ahd offered to testify as a witness.
= = == == = == = ==

Lingam denies NZ trip jointly arranged; Lingam: I was bulshitting and bragging

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 24, 2008): Lawyer Datuk V.K Lingam told the Royal Commission today he may have been "bullshitting and bragging" when he told businessman Loh Mui Fah that he was speaking to former Chief Justice Tun Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim. "I do not recollect I said that (it was Ahmad Fairuz). Even if I did say, I was - I’m sorry for the word - bullshitting and bragging," he said, in reply to a question by Malaysian Bar Council representative Ranjit Singh. "This was in my house, in the privacy of my room. My house is my castle. I am the king of my house. I can talk whatever rubbish I want in my house as long as I (don’t go out) and get drunk and don’t misbehave."
When Ranjit asked why he chose to speak on judicial appointments in Loh and his son’s presence, Lingam said: "I can choose whatever topic I like. I can even pretend to talk to President Bush if I like."
This drew laughter from the courtroom.

Commission chairman Tan Sri Haidar Mohd Noor also asked Lingam why he thought his social friends – Loh and his son – had gone against him.
Lingam said he could not think of a reason, adding: "If they believe the video clip was true, they wouldn’t keep it for six years. They would have gone to the police and the ACA (Anti-Corruption Agency) and say ‘Charge him! Investigate!’ (But) they kept it for six to seven years."
Commissioner Datuk Mahadev Shankar also sought Lingam’s clarification pertaining to his identity in the video when he did not dispute that he was in the photographs taken on the day.

Mahadev: When it comes to the video your evidence is that it might not have been me, it could be me, it might be somebody else?
Lingam: No, no my learned commissioner. I think you’ve not got it right. I said it looks like me, it sounds like me but I did not say it is not me. I don’t want to say it’s 100% me. The authenticity must be established by my two experts.
Mahadev: How many percent would you say (it is you) then?
Lingam: I don’t want to get into a mathematical debate with my learned commissioners. My experts (say) the local experts’ report is fundamentally flawed and defective. (If my experts) say it’s me 100%, I’ll be the first one to say it.

ABOVE & BELOW: More photos of the Holiday in NZ

Ranjit also submitted 33 photographs of Lingam’s New Zealand trip with Tun Eusoff Chin to the Commission, establishing that it took place and both families went on excursions together, including a fishing trip on a lake during a visit to Queenstown.
Lingam testified he could not remember the locations where the photographs were taken as "it was over 13 years ago."





Fifteen ticket stubs (ABOVE) were also submitted as evidence, prompting commissioners Mahadev and Tan Sri Steve Shim to ask him how he obtained the tickets and pictures. Ranjit replied lawyer Datuk Shafee Abdullah gave them to him.
Lingam also said he told the ACA he did not have records of the numbers for his mobile and house phones for 2001 and 2002, during questioning by Bar representative Robert Lazar.
Lingam said he changed his prepaid mobile number every time he lost his phone and changed his home number as "many prank calls" were made to him and the maids. On why he volunteered Ahmad Fairuz’s name during questioning, Lingam said: "Because it is so widely reported. Malaysiakini said it must have been Tun Ahmad Fairuz. It was in the public domain since Sept 19, 2007. This is a few months down the road. I want to tell the truth and make it clear."

= = == == == = == = == =
Shafee Has Negatives Of Lingam-Eusoff Photos, Says Counsel

January 24, 2008 20:31 PM
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 24 (Bernama) -- Prominent lawyer Datuk Muhammad Shafee Abdullah has in his possession the negatives of 33 photographs of Datuk V.K.Lingam and former chief justice Tun Eusoff Chin taken on a holiday trip in New Zealand in 2001. Malaysian Bar representative Ranjit Singh, who disclosed this at the Royal Commission of Inquiry here today, also said that Muhammad Shafee had given him 15 tickets of the trip to him. Ranjit revealed this after Lingam questioned Ranjit whether they (the Malaysian Bar) had the negatives of the photographs they had produced and tendered in the inquiry as evidence.

Lingam told the inquiry he wanted to have a look at the negatives as the photographs shown to him in the proceedings today were taken 13 years ago and that there was a possibility some photographs could have been taken from the internet and patched up.

To this, Ranjit assured Lingam that the negatives were with Muhammad Shafee who had indicated that he would produce them (the negatives) if the commission required him to do so. On one occasion, commissioner Datuk Mahadev Shankar questioned Ranjit who "Shafee" was, since Ranjit only referred to Muhammad Shafee Abdullah as Shafee when he (Ranjit) informed the commission that he (Ranjit) had obtained the ticket of the Lingam-Eusoff trip from Shafee.

Mahadev: Who is Shafee?
Ranjit: Shafee is a practising lawyer as well as human rights commissioner
Mahadev: And he had all the tickets?

Ranjit: He was also involved in some of the litigation involving Raphael Pura. (In this case, the parties sought to adduce the Lingam-Eusoff Chin trip as evidence but it was thrown out).
Earlier, 33 copies of 5R photographs of Lingam, his wife and two daughters and Eusoff, his wife and his son and a daughter on that trip were produced at the inquiry.

Ranjit claimed that the photographs were taken at the skyline gondola restaurant in Queenstown, and also on a fishing expedition in lake Wakatipu, Queenstown.
However, Lingam said he could not recollect the exact place but said it was in
New Zealand.
There was a roar of laughter during the proceedings when Ranjit mentioned the name of the lake "Wakatipu" during his examination on Lingam on the fishing expedition in Wakatipu lake.

Lingam answered: No I don't recollect the name. It looks like Papua New Guinea!
Ranjit further asked Lingam: "Are you saying you went there (
Papua New Guinea)?"
Lingam replied "the name of the lake " Wakatipu " suggested it. Lingam's answer once again drew laughter at the inquiry"

= == = == ==

January 24, 2008 22:22 PM

Lawyer Wee Apologises To Commission

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 24 (Bernama) -- Lawyer Wee Choo Keong apologised to the Royal Commission of Inquiry today after he was ticked off for releasing his written submission on the relevancy of the "Lingam-Eusoff holiday trip evidence" to the media on Tuesday. His apology was welcomed by the commission and everyone present at the inquiry. The commission had earlier said that Wee's action could amount to misconduct as it (commission) had not decided on which issue Wee could argue. Commission chairman Tan Sri Haidar Mohamed Noor told Wee that as a senior member of the Bar, he should have known that he could not release the document to the media as the commission had not decided which content of the submission was relevant for Wee to make his submission to the inquiry.

The commission had on Tuesday decided that they would go through Wee's submission and pick out the relevant portion of which Wee could submit since the document contains "colourful allegations". Wee is the lawyer for V.K. Thirunama, the younger brother of Datuk V.K. Lingam who is implicated in the video clip showing a man brokering judicial appointments allegedly with a senior judge. Today, there was another round of "exchange of words" between Wee and Haidar but it was not a tense situation. Replying to Haidar's question, Wee said: "The press asked for the document. They wanted to know. So I gave it to them. Haidar repeatedly told Wee that as a senior lawyer he should have known the document could not be released prior to the commission's decision.

Haidar then said that he had to take action to inform the public relations officer (Legal Affairs) in the Prime Minister's Department to tell the media not to publish the document. Wee replied that the inquiry was an open hearing and not a court of law, adding that the public had the right to know.
"But we haven't made our decision. What is the effect? Does it amount to misconduct? What is the reason for you to release the document?" asked Haidar. Wee then said: "If the commissioner is upset about it, then I am sorry." Wee's apology was applauded by everyone at the inquiry. Haidar said: "Thank you, It's very nice."

= == = == = ==


= == = == = == = == == = == Bernama’s Brief accounts

January 24, 2008 19:21 PM
Haidar Disallows Line Of Questioning On Fixing Cases


KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 24 (Bernama) --The Royal Commission of Inquiry today ruled that it would not allow a Malaysian Bar counsel's line of questioning on the issue of fixing cases. In his decision, commission chairman Tan Sri Haidar Mohamed Nor said the issue of fixing cases pointed out by counsel Robert Lazar, fell outside its (commission's) terms of reference and should not be allowed to be put to witnesses. "We have decided, and we are of the view that the terms of reference should be read together with the subject matter of the video clip, and we have to investigate its content, in relation to the brokering of the appointmet of judges," he said.

Later, when Lazar sought clarification relating to their decision barring them from questioning Datuk V. K. Lingam on the issue of fixing cases, Commissioner Datuk Mahadev Shankar said Lazar was entitled to questioning on the passages highlighted in the transcript of the conversation which touched on fixing of cases.
However, Shankar added, Lazar's question must be strictly confined to the relationship between former chief justice Tun Eusoff Chin and Lingam, and not touch on the fixing of cases. Earlier, Lazar queried the 13th witness, Datuk V. K. Lingam, on several cases which he (Lingam) had appeared before former chief justice Tun Eusoff Chin.

Lingam said he had appeared before Eusoff when he (Eusoff) was the high court judge in several cases, including cases pertaining to the retrenchment of workers and income tax. To another question by Lazar whether he (Lingam) was engaged to handle a court case involving a very high-profile libel suit involving businessman Tan Sri Vincent Tan, prior to the New Zealand holiday trip, Lingam said: "It is correct." Lingam agreed with Lazar that the suit filed in 1994, and the judgement of the case entered on Oct 22, the same year, after a full trial, damages were awarded in favour of Tan amounting to RM10 million.

Lazar: The judgement (was) delivered on Oct 22, 1994... do you agree that the case attracted a large number of people?
Lingam: Yes.
Lazar: Do you agree that it was a much-talked about case?
Linggam: That, I do not know.
Lazar: One of the reasons was because of the amount of damages, that it was ground-breaking as far as Malaysians... were concerned?
Lingam: Yes, one view to look at.
Replying to Lazar's question whether he (Lingam) agreed that the judgement by Tan Sri Mokhtar Sidin started the trend of awarding mega damages by the court, Lingam replied: "Possible"
Lazar also pointed out to Lingam that the case then was brought up for an appeal in the Court of Appeal. However, it was dismissed on
Dec 7, 2000, by a panel of three members, including Eusoff Chin.
Lingam said: "I know it was dismissed, but I do not remember the date."
Asked by Lazar whether Eusoff informed the parties in the appeal proceeding that he (Eusoff) and Lingam were having a holiday together, Lingam said: "To my knowledge, he did not."
Asked further whether he (Lingam) informed the counsel for the appellant that he had a holiday trip with Eusoff, Lingam replied: "No, I did not".
Lazar then pointed out another case that he handled before Eusoff in 1995, representing two parties, namely in the case of Insas Berhad versus Megapolitan Nominees Sdn Bhd.

Lingam said that he was instructed to handle the case by Insas's director (at that time).
Asked by Lazar whether the case also involved Ayer Molek Bhd, Lingam replied: "It involves the shares in Ayer Molek".

Lazar: Was it a high-profile case?
Lingam: It became high-profile.
At this juncture, Haidar interjected that Lazar had gone too far from the objective of the commission, by asking those questions.
= = = == == = == == == = ==

Day 8 – RCI - January 24, 2008 13:38 PM

Lingam-Eusoff Trip Was Coincidental, Court Told
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 24 (Bernama) -- Lawyer Datuk V.K. Lingam told the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the controversial video clip Thursday that his holiday with former chief justice Tun Eusoff Chin in New Zealand in 1994 was a coincidence. Lingam, 57, denied that he stayed at the same hotel with Eusoff in Auckland and Christchurch. He said he did not follow Eusoff everywhere in New Zealand except for a few accidental meetings at the zoo and bird park in Auckland and a few other places. "I cannot recollect the exact time we decided to visit New Zealand but we (Lingam and his wife) thought that it was the best time since it was the Christmas and New Year holidays. "Because I was so busy, as well as my wife, who is running her dental clinic, our relatives who just got back from New Zealand told us we should visit the place," Lingam said. The inquiry is to determine, among others, the authenticity of the video clip purported showing Lingam brokering judicial appointments over the phone.

= == = == =
January 24, 2008 12:00 PM

Lingam Must Answer Questions On His New Zealand Trip With Eusoff

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 24 (Bernama) --The Royal Commission of Inquiry ruled Thursday that lawyer Datuk V.K. Lingam, who is implicated in the controversial video clip, must answer questions relating to his 1994 holiday trip in New Zealand with former chief justice Tun Eusoff Chin. The five-member panel headed by chairman Tan Sri Haidar Mohamed Noor unanimously allowed the Malaysian Bar's application to question Lingam on the matter. Bar representative Robert Lazar had said that evidence on that trip was relevant to show the close relationship between the two men to prove the existence of interference in judicial appointments and case fixings. Lazar had said that those facts should be allowed into the inquiry because they were referred to in the conversation in the video clip and therefore were within the scope of the commission's terms of reference.

The Royal Commission of Inquiry was set up to determine, among others, the authencity of the video clip allegedly showing Lingam brokering judicial appointments over the phone. However, Lingam, in his testimony, said he was unable to say whether the man talking on the phone in the clip was him and his stand was that "It looks like me, It sounds like me". Lingam's counsel, R.Thayalan, had objected to the line of questioning on the New Zealand trip, saying that the evidence on the trip was beyonde scope of the commission's terms of reference and that the inquiry should be be confined to evidence on the appointment of judges. Kamarul Hisham Kamaruddin, counsel for former chief justice Tun Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim, purported to be the man on the other end the telephone, and conducting officers Datuk Nordin Hassan and Datuk Azmi

Ariffin adopted a similar stand.
The conducting officers said it was certainly not the purpose of the establishment of the commission to ascertain or determine the truth or otherwise of all matters mentioned in the transcript of the conversation in the video clip. Today, Eusoff's recently-appointed counsel, Zamani Ibrahim told the commission that they also took a similar stand as Thayalan. Previously, Eusoff, who was questioned on the trip when he took the witness stand last Friday, was not represented by counsel. The commission put off his testimony to allow him to engage counsel.
= == == =

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

MORE PICS & Video – Partial Boycott Effective on 2008 Thaipusam at Batu Caves; 1 Million visitors Failed to Show; Stall paying RM3 -6K reported Losses

Offbeat - UPDATE: Day 8 – RCI - January 24, 2008 13:38 PM - another Tall Story from Lingam

Lingam-Eusoff Trip Was Coincidental, Court Told
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 24 (Bernama) -- Lawyer Datuk V.K. Lingam told the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the controversial video clip Thursday that his holiday with former chief justice Tun Eusoff Chin in New Zealand in 1994 was a coincidence. Lingam, 57, denied that he stayed at the same hotel with Eusoff in Auckland and Christchurch. He said he did not follow Eusoff everywhere in New Zealand except for a few accidental meetings at the zoo and bird park in Auckland and a few other places. "I cannot recollect the exact time we decided to visit New Zealand but we (Lingam and his wife) thought that it was the best time since it was the Christmas and New Year holidays. "Because I was so busy, as well as my wife, who is running her dental clinic, our relatives who just got back from New Zealand told us we should visit the place," Lingam said. The inquiry is to determine, among others, the authenticity of the video clip purported showing Lingam brokering judicial appointments over the phone.

= = == ===

January 24, 2008 12:00 PM
Lingam Must Answer Questions On His New Zealand Trip With Eusoff
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 24 (Bernama) --The Royal Commission of Inquiry ruled Thursday that lawyer Datuk V.K. Lingam, who is implicated in the controversial video clip, must answer questions relating to his 1994 holiday trip in New Zealand with former chief justice Tun Eusoff Chin. The five-member panel headed by chairman Tan Sri Haidar Mohamed Noor unanimously allowed the Malaysian Bar's application to question Lingam on the matter. Bar representative Robert Lazar had said that evidence on that trip was relevant to show the close relationship between the two men to prove the existence of interference in judicial appointments and case fixings. Lazar had said that those facts should be allowed into the inquiry because they were referred to in the conversation in the video clip and therefore were within the scope of the commission's terms of reference.

The Royal Commission of Inquiry was set up to determine, among others, the authencity of the video clip allegedly showing Lingam brokering judicial appointments over the phone. However, Lingam, in his testimony, said he was unable to say whether the man talking on the phone in the clip was him and his stand was that "It looks like me, It sounds like me". Lingam's counsel, R.Thayalan, had objected to the line of questioning on the New Zealand trip, saying that the evidence on the trip was beyonde scope of the commission's terms of reference and that the inquiry should be be confined to evidence on the appointment of judges. Kamarul Hisham Kamaruddin, counsel for former chief justice Tun Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim, purported to be the man on the other end the telephone, and conducting officers Datuk Nordin Hassan and Datuk Azmi

Ariffin adopted a similar stand.
The conducting officers said it was certainly not the purpose of the establishment of the commission to ascertain or determine the truth or otherwise of all matters mentioned in the transcript of the conversation in the video clip. Today, Eusoff's recently-appointed counsel, Zamani Ibrahim told the commission that they also took a similar stand as Thayalan. Previously, Eusoff, who was questioned on the trip when he took the witness stand last Friday, was not represented by counsel. The commission put off his testimony to allow him to engage counsel.

= == == = == = =
MORE PICS & VideoPartial Boycott Effective on Jan 23 2008 Thaipusam at Batu Caves; Million visitors Failed to Turn up; Stalls paying RM3000 - 6000K reported Losses ABOVE: The entrance to Batu Caves was not overcrowded the day before Thaipusam BELOW: The adjacent side of steps
BELOW: The statue of Lord Murugan fronting the main steps
To say there was a complete boycott of the Thaipusam festival at Batu Caves would be not correct as the more religious people would still observe the significance of it. According to SKThew - Thaipusam is a Hindu festival celebrated mostly by the Tamil community on the full moon in the Tamil month of Thai (Jan/Feb). The festival commemorates both the birthday of Lord Murugan (also Subramaniam) and the occasion when Parvati gave Murugan a vel (lance) so he could vanquish the evil demon Soorapadman.

ABOVE: The almost unpatronized stall and BELOW: The empty ones not taken up

Our PKR info Chief Tian Chua took a drive early morning on Jan 23 08 and reported “I could note a notable drop in the attendance. Last year I was here at the same time, the entire highway was jammed up. This time, Batu Cave was remarkably quieter compared to last year. This year I didn’t sense the mood of ‘Happy Thaipusam’. Indeed there is nothing to be happy about”

ABOVE & BELOW: The unfilled empty 272 steps leading to the temple proper just like a normal tourist day

The wire agencies put the turnout in tens of thousands whereas the Official Spin media still had the 1 Million figures swelling perhaps to 1 Million. Whatever it is the pictures tell the story. On the day before the big event, the crowds were not there and a number of the larger stalls were still unoccupied.

ABOVE: The temple official explanationThis year we had reduced the number of stalls to give people more walking space.. and the charges of the stalls were from RM100, to RM300 depending on the sizes.

ABOVE & BELOW: Two of the stall owners were complaining the stall cost RM3000 (above) & almost RM6000 (below)in rental and both suffered losses this year due to the partial boycott.

= == == = == == = = = == = == = == =

ABOVE & BELOW: However the crowds did pick up with the arrival of the Chariot carry Lord Murugan from ChinaTown temple and the kawadis

= == = == = == = == == = == = ==== = == =

ABOVE & BELOW, BELOW: More Kawadis arrived at the Batu Cave Temple

As to the SMSs that were floating around the whole of the week before Thaipusam, Samy Vellu had this to say of them:

These are nasty, nasty low graded fellows. Their mind is not the high quality mind – low quality mind. They don’t have the capacity to think, capacity do things in a manner that complies with the law & order
= == = == == = = === = == = == =listen to his nasty words from a Nasty man in the Video Clip

January 23, 2008 14:52 PM

Call To Boycott Thaipusam In Batu Caves Ignored, One Million Turn Up

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 23 (Bernama) -- Calls made to Hindus through short messaging service (SMS) to boycott Thaipusam festival in Batu Caves fizzled out as hundreds of thousands of devotees thronged the Sri Subramaniaswamy Temple here to pay their annual homage to Lord Muruga. As of noon Wednesday, not less than 500,000 people, both locals and foreigners, flocked to the temple to fulfil their vows, MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said. He added that SMSes sent out by irresponsible elements instigating devotees to hurl slippers at him as he is addressing the crowd, werealso ignored.

"I don't think religious people pay any attention to naughty SMSes," he told reporters when asked to comment on the crowd turnout at Batu Caves following the SMSes calling on the Hindus to boycott the Thaipusam festival in Batu Caves. Describing the SMS senders as "people of low-quality mind", Samy Vellu said these sort of vicious SMSes would not dampen the spirit of the Indians to be steadfast in their belief and conviction. Samy Vellu urged the Indian community to unite in support of the Barisan Nasional (BN) government, which had protected the rights of all races inthe country.

"Don't be hoodwinked by the opposition," he said, imploring Indians to change their mindset to emerge as a progressive race in this multiracial nation. The opposition should be ashame of themselves for stooping so low as to use places of worship for their political campaign, he exclaimed.
The minister expressed his gratitude to the government for declaring Thaipusam a public holiday in Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya as more than 800,000 Hindus lived in the Klang Valley. Samy Vellu said he would ask Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam to consider declaring Thaipusam a public holiday in the state. He refuted talk that declaring public holiday for Thaipusam was an election gimmick by the government to shore up Indian community's support for the ruling coalition. "Indians are not stupid to be easily swayed by gimmicks and political dramas," he said. The Works Minister expects the crowd to swell to about 1.1 million by this evening. Some 1,000 policemen from the Federal Reserve Unit, General Operations Force and traffic were deployed to maintain rule and order.

= == == = from AFP; Jan 23, 2008

M'sian Indians boycott Thaipusam festival

KUALA LUMPUR - MALAYSIAN Indians stayed away in droves from a popular Hindu festival on Wednesday, in a boycott linked to allegations of discrimination by the nation's majority Muslim Malays. The colourful Thaipusam festival, during which devotees pierce their bodies with hooks and skewers, usually attracts more than a million people to Kuala Lumpur's Batu Caves temple, set in a spectacular limestone cavern. But this year activists called on Hindus to celebrate elsewhere, accusing temple managers of assisting police who cracked down hard on a demonstration there last November, using tear gas and water cannons. The crowds were thin on Wednesday, numbering only in their tens of thousands, thanks to the boycott call and the prospect of more trouble.

SMS spread

A series of SMS text messages had called on ethnic Indians who did turn up to use their sandals to pelt political leaders including Samy Vellu, the leader of the Malaysian Indian Congress which is a member of the ruling coalition. The veteran politician, who has sided with the government and been accused of neglecting the interests of his constituents, insisted there were at least half a million people at the complex and a million the day before. '

I have come to Thaipusam since I was 11 years old. I know the crowd. It is the same as before,' he told reporters at Batu Caves. 'I don't think religious people who went to pray to Lord Murugan will listen to all the naughty fellows,' he said of the SMS campaign.
'Who can threaten us? Anyone who threatens us we can find out where he is.' 'It takes only five hours to find out where he is. They can't run away from us.'

ABOVE & BELOW & BELOW: The smaller stalls were opened and literally "pak wu ying" - catching flies all the time with so few people

Stallholders and devotees lamented the small turnout and said ethnic Indians should work together to promote their cause. 'The crowd is normally double or triple this size. Now it's so small, so there is not so much of a great mood this time,' said N. Kumaran, 41, a civil servant who has taken part in the festival for the past 14 years. Sweet seller Joga Singh said that with the crowds so thin he and other vendors were not making any money this year. 'I think many people are afraid to come because of the SMS to boycott. Our business is suffering because of it,' he told reporters.

ABOVE: The crowd on Thaipusam day was not full capacity, see the gaps in the steps

At least 3,000 ethnic Indians gathered in the temple grounds to protest in November, and more than 8,000 people massed elsewhere the following day in unprecedented scenes that shocked the government. In December it jailed five ethnic Indian activists under draconian internal security legislation that allows for detention without trial. Malays, who make up 60 per cent of the country's 27 million population, control the government while ethnic Chinese, who make up 26 per cent of the population, dominate business. Ethnic Indians, who make up 8.0 per cent of the population, complain they run a distant third in terms of wealth, opportunities and education. – AFP

= == = =Watch the Video Clip 2 mins + & See the Invincible "crowds" & Celebration at Penang

= == = == == = == == = == = == =



= == = = == =

UPDATE:January 23, 2008 20:34 PM

Thousands Throng Temples In Celebration Of Thaipusam

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 23 (Bernama) -- Over a million Hindu devotees thronged temples across the country in celebrating Thaipusam today.
In KUALA LUMPUR, almost 500,000 devotees and tourists made a beeline to the Sri Mariaman temple in Batu Caves in celebrating the three-day festival, which began yesterday. It was a joyful occasion despite the presence of about 1,000 policemen, including from the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU), who were on standby for crowd control and ensuring no untoward incidents happened. Up to noon, traffic heading towards Batu Caves was mostly at a crawl owing to the huge turnout. The temple's caretaker, Kubiran Subramaniam, 26, told Bernama that some 1.5 people turned up during last year's festival. "We expect a repeat turnout (this year) as so far, almost 500,000 people have come. More will be coming in the evening and night and also tomorrow," he said.

In IPOH, over 20,000 devotees thronged the Arul Subramaniar temple in Gunung Cheroh since yesterday in conjunction with the festival. State Unity and Consumer Affairs Committee chairman Datuk G. Rajoo, who is also Perak MIC chief, and Datuk Tan Chin Men, the State Health, Environment and Human Resource Committee chairman, also participated in today's celebrations. The highlight as usual was the procession involving the silver chariot in the image of Lord Muruga from the Sri Maha Mariamman temple in Sungai Pari to this temple. Needless to say, traffic jams in the city were commonplace today.
In SELANGOR, Thaipusam in the state this time around was described as more meaningful following it being declared a public holiday in Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya. State Unity and Estate Workers Permanent Committee chairman Datuk Kamala Ganapathy said celebrations were more focused at Batu Caves, apart from Port Klang and Kuala Selangor. "From the feedback I received, the celebrations (in Selangor) are going smoothly," she said when contacted in Shah Alam.
Klang police chief ACP Mohamad Md Yusuf said the festivities in Klang and Port Klang were going smoothly and no untoward incidents were reported.
In PENANG, some 50,000 devotees, mostly from the northern region, flooded the Sri Arulmigu Balathandayuthabani temple in Jalan Kebun Bunga to fulfil their vows. Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, who was accompanied by State executive councillor P. Subbaiyah also joined the festivities. Tourists also flocked to the temple to witness the occasion, which is also promoted in Penang's tourism calendar. Thaipusam falls on the full moon day when the Pusam star (one of 27 cyclical stars in the Hindu horoscope) reigns. On this day, the alignment of the sun, the moon and the planets is said to be conducive to spiritual enlightenment. Devotees head to temples to pray for divine help and when their prayers are answered, they return on Thaipusam to fulfil their vows with penance and pay homage to Lord Muruga as thanksgiving.

= = == == = = and from Down South - S'pore

ABOVE: About 20,000 devotees are expected to witness the consecration of the Sri Sivan Temple in Geylang East Avenue 2 tomorrow (Jan 26 08) . Such a ceremony is held once every 12 years, following extensive renovations

Get complete protection against viruses, worms and Trojan horse programs – CA Anti-Virus 2008! Click here for cheap hotels
www.flickr.com
This is a Flickr badge showing public photos from Multidimid. Make your own badge here.
Blogroll Me!

Your email address:


Powered by FeedBlitz

Add to Google Add to Google
Google
 
Web powerpresent.blogspot.com