TASEK PAUH blogspot

SUBANG, Sep 21 - The Government will have to first establish the authenticity of the video footage of a senior lawyer brokering the appointment of judges, before deciding on any action, said the Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

Najib said he personally had not seen the footage.

However, he stressed that it was important to establish the veracity of the footage "before jumping to any conclusion."

"Modern day technology can also be abused and fabricated. So before we conclude anything let us establish whether there is basis or not," Najib told reporters after launching the Malaysia Airlines Engineering Training Center here on Friday.

Asked if an investigation on the matter would be carried out, he said: "We have to establish it first. Then whatever it is, we will decide at the next stage."

To a question, Najib said he had "not formally" spoken to Chief Justice Tun Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim about the matter.

Probed further on whether he had engaged in communication with the Chief Justice, Najib said: "I think you better ask the Chief Justice, in this regard."

On Wednesday, Parti Keadilan Rakyat released a videoclip, purportedly shot in 2002, which it obtained recently of the lawyer talking on the telephone to someone who seemed to be a senior judge about how he (the lawyer) had helped get this judge appointed to one of the top judiciary posts.

According to the telephone conversation, the appointment was done through a prominent businessman and a politician.

The lawyer was heard saying that he was working through the two persons to get the judge elevated even further and get him a “Tan Sri” title. The names of a number of prominent judges were also mentioned in the video.

Lihat juga: Nazri says he's unaware of judge fixing video