VK Lingam barred from practising law

Senior lawyer Datuk V.K. Lingam, who has appeared in a controversial video tape over the appointment of judges, is barred from practising law by the Advocates and Solicitors' Disciplinary Board (DB).

Bar Council chairman Steven Thiru confirmed that the DB had strike off Lingam from the roll of Advocates and Solicitors for professional misconduct, on Nov 6.

"The decision will take effect 21 days after that date from Nov 26," he said when contacted today.

However, he said Lingam has the right to file an appeal over the decision and he has one month to do so.

Lingam's counsel R.Thayalan told the media that the senior lawyer would be appealing against the DB's decision at the High Court.

"If he (Lingam) gets well, he can do it (practice). He has closed his firm and quitted practicing end of last year due to health reasons," said Thayalan.

He said Bar Council had lodged a complaint to the Disciplinary Board (DB) in 2007, over the video clip.

On May 20, 2008, the Royal Commission of Inquiry's findings (RCI) had made several recommendations over the video recording which allegedly touched on the appointment of judges by Lingam and former Chief Justices Tun Mohd Eusoff Chin and Tun Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim.

In their report, the five-member panel of the RCI concluded that the video clip was authentic, and that Lingam was the person in conversation with Ahmad Fairuz over the appointment of judges.

The commission had also recommended that appropriate action be taken against six individuals, namely Lingam, Eusoff, Ahmad Fairuz, tycoon Tan Sri Vincent Tan, former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, and businessman and former Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor for misconduct.

It also found that there was prima facie evidence to investigate the six men for offences under the Sedition Act, Official Secrets Act, Penal Code and Legal Profession Act.