The Royal Commission holding the inquiry on the Lingam tape today called VK Lingam himself to the stand. However, they have refused again to call Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who had brought the clip to public attention and has volunteered to bring new evidence to the inquiry. I was at the court to attend the boss’ press conference.
Lingam claims the man in the video “looks like me, sounds like me” but refuse to confirm it until he ‘confirms’ it with his ‘experts’. Later however he said that he didn’t know who he was speaking to in the video, but it certainly wasn’t Tun Ahmad Fairuz as many alleged. But wouldn’t the question be moot if he cannot confirm whether he was in the video or not? Furthermore, while denying that businessman Loh Mui Fah was his client, Lingam admits that Loh and his son came to his house “three or four times” whereas the Lohs claim they only went there once.
On the other hand, Anwar, who had exposed the video in the first place, volunteers two secret witnesses and has expressed his readiness to fill in the gaps to Tun Dr. Mahathir’s testimony after the former premier replied repeatedly “I don’t remember” last week. Yet, the Commission still has not summoned him, in spite of the subpoena to appear in front of the Commission last week.
Meanwhile, Anwar wondered why he had yet been called to testify by the commission.
He had already been subpoenaed by the commission and was the fifth on the witness list.
“But now the commission wants a written submission (from my lawyer) as to why I should be heard – this is rather odd,” he told reporters, adding that this raised questions on the conduct and the integrity of the commission.
In addition to giving new evidence to the commission, Anwar – who first made public the Lingam tape last September – said it was crucial for him to testify since his name was mentioned in the video-clip.
Asked whether he would be able to testify after he had gone overseas tomorrow, Anwar said he would try to return to the country when he is called.
At the onset of the inquiry this morning, Puravalen argued that he had made a number of applications since last Thursday to seek an early date for Anwar to appear before the commission.
