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Shaila Koshy

The Star

Publication Date : 25-01-2013

Re-open old cases of graft allegations against judges because witnesses might be prepared to come forward now, three former judges told the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

V.C. George, Shaik Daud Ismail and K.C. Vohrah said the public was not satisfied that previous allegations had been properly looked into.

George retired from the Court of Appeal in 1995; Shaik Daud and Vohrah retired from the same tier in 2001 and 2002, respectively.

The three were responding to Chief Justice Tun Arifin Zakaria's openness to deal with corruption in the Judiciary and the recent reports of alleged corruption that Malaysian Bar president Lim Chee Wee had referred to the MACC.

George said there was no statute of limitation on prosecuting crime and so, no reason why old cases could not be re-opened.

Vohrah said allegations of graft surfaced after Tun Salleh Abas was sacked as Lord President in 1988.

“Definitely, it was happening.

“The Special Branch investigated and some of us gave our views and voiced our grave suspicions.”

Asked what MACC could do differently, since Mohtar Abdullah, who was Attorney-General (1994-2000), cleared the Judiciary in 1996 after police and then Anti-Corruption Agency investigations “cleared” the judges mentioned in a 33-page pamphlet written anonymously by a High Court judge, Vohrah said:

“It's a little different now, maybe witnesses are more willing to talk.

“MACC could also look into the evidence from the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the V.K. Lingam Video Clip (2007-2008).”

Shaik Daud said allegations against the judiciary cut both ways.

“It's not good the whole Judiciary gets a bad name because of a few but it is good that it is out in the open.”

Shaik Daud said action should be taken against lawyers who facilitated corruption too.

“Litigants wouldn't dare approach a judge unless a lawyer was behind it.

“It's good the chief justice and Bar are talking about this in the open.”