The Unsinkable VK Lingam
The boat, it seems, seldom takes everybody. Even when it does, most are taken for a ride.
“We have missed the boat - not once but twice,” wrote Malaysiakini editor-in-chief Steven Gan a couple months back.
Indeed, Gan wouldn’t have dreamt of playing cards on star deck with the likes of Mahathir Mohamad, Vincent Tan, Tengku Adnan and a lesser known Ahmad Fairuz.
I’d bet you my place on that boat that Gan, captain of a coal-powered submarine, had every intention on hitting them with torpedoes; but sadly, missed.
“Seven years ago we thought we had him,” recounts Gan.
And they didn’t. The VK Lingam, a boat built to be impenetrable like the RMS Titanic, did what the Titanic couldn’t - Lingam went on many more voyages, until very recently.
But like the Titanic, Lingam is a story of love, too.
“We want to make sure our friends are there for the sake of PM and for the sake of the country. Not for our own interest, not for our own interest. We want to make sure the country comes out well,” declares Lingam, proudly Malaysia’s best boat, ever.
It is on Lingam’s many voyages where democratic Malaysia lost its head in the deep waters of Love’s Ocean. Men, and their women, who would never have crossed paths for the sake of upholding democracy’s sanctity now drank and played cards on the same boat, all whilst the rest of the ocean thrashed around them in the stormiest of nights.
Then, of course, they have Lingam to thank for all the hospitality. Tonight, do we miss the boat again?
This time, Lingam seems confident (as he has always been) that nothing more than a short visit to the dockyard will suffice. When this invincible boat suddenly sprang a leak, Ostrich Syndrome took over. With the worms in the can threatening to squiggle their way out into public, Ministers buried their heads in self-ignorance.
What was, before this, labelled as Opposition perception now took the form of a video clip showing Lingam arranging another dirty cruise for, allegedly, the very people whom Malaysians entrusted with democratic power.
Three words - we don’t know - became the government’s slogan. Nobody knew nothing.
“We don’t know whether the video clip is real.”
CGI kot.
“We don’t know who recorded the video clip.”
Recorded secretly, this fella must be up to no good!
“We don’t know what intentions the people who released this video clip have.”
They are trying to bring down public confidence on the judiciary, they have vested interest.
“We don’t know who is on the other end of the line.”
The video shows a man talking into a telephone, period.
“We don’t know where Lingam is.”
Can you tell me?
Now that one of Lingam’s former lieutenant (also an estranged brother) has come out with serious allegations consistent with the video clip, he’s done the unthinkable. Strategically unproven at this stage, Lingam’s written statement to the press breaks away from his tradition of keeping mum and then suing them for defamation later.
He claims his brother Thirunama is a mad. He has “medical records” to prove this, and decided to speak on this madman, at length, to the press yesterday after a “very professional” meeting with the ACA.
“I’m estranged from him since 1996 because he hits his wife and children,” said Lingam.
“So he’s mad lah?” Asked a journalist who didn’t know better.
“Yeah, he is really crazy, he is suicidal, bla bla bla…”
“Why have you been silent for so long?”
“I am not answerable to any Tom, Dick or Harry.”
Such arrogance! Yet, a horde of journalists let him get away with it. Missed, at a distance of less than two feet.
Fortunately, not every Tom, Dick or Harry is shown, on video, assuring the person on the other end of the line that the utmost shall be done to install him as the country’s next top judge. And that, unfortunately, is why Lingam has to answer to each and every one of us.
Let’s not allow Lingam to take us on a ride, let’s learn to say “no, thank you” the next time he tries to take us on board with allegations about an estranged brother. Can we make him answer about the real issues at hand? Remember, he has not denied arranging for the fixing of judges. He has merely claimed the allegations a “madman” made are not believable.
Can Lingam be believed?
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6 Responses to “The Unsinkable VK Lingam”
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This smart Lingam must be appointed as the Malaysia CJ. He definately upholds justice as what perceived by the government. His good record in winning all cases handled by him including Mahathir own case are more than enough to prove that he is the best lawyer in town. Therefore, Pak Lah must appoint this Lingam to the highest so that his precious brain will not wasted.
Correct…correct…correct or korek…korek…korek
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Lets see if the royal comission can be a start of good things for Malaysia. Hopefully after, VP Lingam would not have his nose so high up anymore.
There was an 11 year estrangement between the two siblings, yet one knows with certainty that the other is certifiable.
Lingam has ‘medical records’ of his brother. Medical records are privy only to doctor-patient only. If he has them, legal action should be taken against him and the doctor concerned refered to the medical board for disciplinary action for revealing documents relating to medical records.
Was Geetha Menon also of `unsound mind`:
Sometime between 1994 and 1996 , a matter went before the Department of Industrial Relations for reconciliation.
The matter was brought by a lawyer said to be named Geetha Menon (GM), who had been dismissed from her position as legal assistant (LA) at VK Lingam and Co.
GM claimed that she was sacked for refusing to personally courier a quantity of cash to a then sitting judge.
http://malaysianjudges.blogspot.com/2007/11/vk-lingam-and-payments-to-judgesthe.html