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©The Star (Used by permission)
by Eddie Chua

KUALA LUMPUR: Lawyer Wee Choo Keong has questioned how Datuk V.K. Lingam, who is implicated in a video clip purportedly showing a senior lawyer brokering the appointment of judges, managed to obtain his younger brother's medical records. 

“Lingam's brother, V. Thirunama Karasu, had never received such medical reports from any doctor. He is extremely surprised that Lingam had copies of such reports,” said Wee, who is acting for Thirunama.

He questioned how Lingam had obtained two medical reports – one from a private specialist and another from University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) – that were distributed to reporters outside the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) headquarters in Putrajaya on Wednesday.

“This is breach of patient-doctor confidentiality,” said Wee.

He said they would lodge a complaint with the Malaysian Medical Council on the breach by the private specialist and will ask UMMC to explain how Lingam had obtained a copy of its report.

The ACA has reopened investigations into allegations of corruption against Lingam that were lodged in 1998.

This development came about after Thirunama provided new leads to the ACA on Tuesday.

Yesterday, Wee said Thirunama did not make the ACA report against his brother in 1998, but only provided testimony.

Lingam was not available for comment yesterday.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced on Nov 16 that a Royal Commission of Inquiry would be established to probe the videoclip issue.

Meanwhile the Bar Council has called for certain terms of reference to be included in the Commission and for the judiciary to support the Council in judicial reforms.

During its extraordinary general meeting (EGM) held at Wisma MCA yesterday, the council unanimously passed a resolution calling for the two police reports lodged by Thirunama to be investigated by the Commission.

The other part of the resolution called for the Royal Commission to investigate and to make recommendations for judicial reform on any aspect of the administration of justice in Malaysia.

Council president S. Ambiga, said its members felt that the commission had to be given the widest terms of reference.

She said that 1,562 lawyers turned up for the EGM.

The other resolution that was overwhelmingly passed called for the judiciary to support the council's call for judicial reform as well as to work with the Bar for such reform.

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