Monday June 23, 2008 MYT 8:05:45 PM

Lingam files for review of Commission findings

By M. MAGESWARI

KUALA LUMPUR: Lawyer V.K. Lingam has filed a leave application for judicial review of the findings made by the Royal Commission of Inquiry into a video clip that implicated him.

He filed the documents at the High Court (appellate and special powers) registry at 2pm on Monday through his sister’s law firm.

Under Order 53 of the Rules of the High Court 1980, the interested parties should file applications for judicial review within 40 days from the date when the decision is first communicated to the applicant.

The Royal Commission had found, among other things, that:

* The video clip was authentic;

* That Lingam was having a phone conversation with former chief justice Tun Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim;

* Lingam was actively involved in the appointment of Ahmad Fairuz as President of the Court of Appeal, with the possible aim of his further appointment as Chief Justice;

* Lingam had asked his close friends tycoon Tan Sri Vincent Tan and Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor to involve themselves actively in the appointment of judges, in particular the appointment of Ahmad Fairuz as the Chief Judge of Malaya and subsequently, President of the Court of Appeal.

The Royal Commission had also recommended that Tengku Adnan and five others be investigated.

The five are former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, former chief justices Tun Eusoff Chin and Tun Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim, tycoon Tan Sri Vincent Tan and senior lawyer V.K. Lingam.

Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail had on May 21 ordered a thorough follow-up on all the findings made by the Royal Commission, as well as the 14-minute recording.

Gani said that he had directed all the relevant authorities to immediately commence investigations based on the Commission’s findings.

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