Malaysian Bar: V.K. Lingam no longer a lawyer

PETALING JAYA: Datuk V.K. Lingam (pic), who was caught on camera allegedly brokering the appointment of judges, is not allowed to practise law anymore, says Malaysian Bar president Steven Thiru.

He confirmed that Lingam was struck out from the Rolls of Advocates and Solicitors on Nov 6.

Lawyer R. Thayalan, who appeared for Lingam, said the Bar's disciplinary committee found Lingam not guilty of a complaint brought by the Bar Council relating to fixing of cases in the courts.

However, Lingam was found guilty on the second part of the complaint for interfering or influencing judicial appointments.

Thayalan said the board had affirmed the decision.

However, he said that Lingam would appeal the board's decision to the High Court.

Thayalan also said Lingam had already closed his law firm and quit practising at the end of last year due to health reasons.

In December 2001, former Kelana Jaya MP Loh Gwo Burne secretly took a video of Lingam talking on the phone, allegedly with former Chief Justice Tun Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim, and then uploaded the video to YouTube in 2007.

The video showed Lingam brokering a deal for Ahmad Fairuz to be promoted to chief justice.

That year, the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) was formed to investigate the matter and in its 2008 report, the commission concluded that the video clip was authentic and recommended that action be taken against Lingam, Ahmad Fairuz and four others including former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Lingam then sought a review of the RCI's findings, which was subsequently struck down by the Federal Court in September 2011, ruling that the findings could not be reviewed.