The three-member independent panel to determine the authenticity of the 'Lingam tape' should be given a chance to conduct its probe, said Bar Council president Ambiga Sreenevasan.

She said this after submitting two memoranda to the Prime Minister's Department this afternoon, together with three other council members - vice-president K Ragunath, secretary Lim Chee Wee and treasurer George Varughese.

Ambiga, who was all smiles, received rousing applause from the rain-drenched crowd of some 2,000 protestors who had earlier held a 'walk for justice' protest march from the Palace of Justice to the Prime Minister's Department in Putrajaya.

As the crowd waited for the delegation to come out, some kept themselves in good spirits as they braved heavy rain. They yelled "Right, right, right! Correct, correct, correct!" mimicking Lingam in the video clip.

They dispersed soon after Ambiga gave her speech around 1.30pm.

She told reporters that the inquiry panel should be given a chance to start and hoped that they start work quickly.

"I think they can begin their work, the sooner the better. I would like to see what this panel can do and the result of their investigation," she said.

"Let that (the inquiry) take place and let's see how far they can go. I'm not sure what their terms of reference are - that's the other thing that we are concerned about, We don't know how wide the ambit of their powers of inquiry will be."

Yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak appointed former Chief Judge of Malaya Haidar Mohd Noor to lead the probe, with the other panel members comprising National Service Council chairperson Lee Lam Thye and former Court of Appeal Judge Mahadev Shankar.

The eight-minute edited video shows senior lawyer VK Lingam talking on the phone, apparently brokering the appointment of judges with (current) Chief Justice Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim.

This has sparked an uproar in the legal fraternity and among the public, triggering the Bar Council's protest and submission of two memoranda to the premier's political secretary, Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh, about 12.45pm.

"Wan Farid assured us that they would look into the memo and that he will try to arrange a meeting for us to meet the PM (who) is away at the moment," said Ambiga after the 30-minute meeting.

Premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is currently in New York attending the United Nations 62nd session of the General Assembly.

'Proud of members'

The first memorandum called for a royal commission of inquiry to be set up to examine the claims made in the video clip, as well as the state of the judiciary.

Ambiga explained that it was essential to set up a royal commission under the Commission of Inquiry Act because it can call and cross-examine witnesses under oath.

"If you set up normal panel, it may not have those powers but may get information some other way," she said.

The second memorandum urged the establishment of a judicial appointments commission for the appointment and promotion of judges.

Ambiga also expressed her gratitude for the strong turnout of lawyers and members of the public.

"I am proud of the members of the Bar because we walked 3.5km in a peaceful manner. (Although the) buses were stopped, those members walked 5 km (to the Palace of Justice). I believe our members have behaved with utmost dignity."

Five buses were stopped from entering Putrajaya about 10.15am. The 200 who were stranded walked to the court, causing the march to start an hour later.

Anwar: Well done

To date, Lingam has not been available for comment as he is said to be abroad. Although Ahmad Fairuz has declined comment in a fax to Malaysiakini, his apparent denial was recently communicated to the media by de facto law minister Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz.

Meanwhile de facto PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim, who revealed the Lingam tape last week, congratulated the Bar over the march today in pursue of a royal commission of inquiry.

"Only a royal commission formed under the Commission of Inquiries Act 1950 can truly restore the public's faith in our judiciary," he said in a statement.

"The video which we exposed last week should not be just the concern of political parties but all Malaysians who care about the future of the country," he added.


SPECIAL REPORT: The Lingam tape

Watch the six-minute video here