29. Independent Panel

BREAKING NEWS, 2 P.M., updated 4 P.M.

The Government has set up a three-man independent panel to investigate the authenticity of a video clip featuring a lawyer allegedly brokering the appointment of judges with a senior judge, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said today.

The Deputy Prime Minister said the panel would be headed by former Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Haidar Mohd Noor, with former Court of Appeal Judge Datuk Mahadev Shankar and prominent social activist Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye as members.

"This decision was made as the allegations and speculations on the video clip can arouse doubts on the credibility and integrity of the country's judicial system," he told a press conference.

Najib said the panel would start their duties soon and would prepare a detailed report to the government on the controversial video clip."The panel's findings expected to be known in a few weeks will be made public," he said.

The eight-minute clip, recorded in 2002, was posted on the Internet last week after an opposition party exposed the video recording.The Deputy Prime Minister said the panel would conduct full-scale investigations to establish the authenticity of the video recording.

Asked whether the people implicated in the video would be called up by the panel, he said the panel would do whatever necessary.

To a question, Najib said the Government had no intention to set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry to investigate the matter.The Government felt it was sufficient to set up the panel, he said.

On the Bar Council's plan to stage a protest march and submit a memorandum to the Prime Minister's Office here tomorrow, demanding the setting up of a Royal Commission of Inquiry to investigate the video clip controversy, he said it was up to the Bar Council and the authorities to decide on such actions - Bernama.


A most welcome and heartening news to the Malaysian Public. Thank you Deputy Prime Minister for reassuring us and putting back confidence in the system.