Two key figures mentioned in the VK Lingam video clip have had their statements recorded by the Anti-Corruption Agency, according to newspaper reports today.

The New Straits Times, quoting sources, reported that Lingam had his statements recorded by the ACA, pertaining to a video clip which purportedly depicted him brokering judicial appointments.

The report said Lingam's statements were recorded after he returned from overseas early this week.

Meanwhile, the Star reports that a "senior lawyer and a business tycoon" have had their statements recorded by the ACA over the same video clip.

The daily reported that the interviews with the two individuals lasted several hours. The "senior lawyer" reportedly gave his statement to the ACA on Monday.

Thus far, this is the only indication that ACA had interviewed parties implicated in the video clip released by PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim on Sept 19.

From the context of the conversation, Anwar claimed that the person at the end of the line was current Chief Justice Ahmad Fairuz Abdul Halim and that the video was taken in 2002.

More to be interviewed?

In the eight-minute video clip, Lingam mentioned more than a dozen names which included business tycoon Vincent Tan and Tourism Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor.

Based on the conversation, Tan and Adnan were apparently instrumental in helping Ahmad Fairuz secure the honorific 'Tan Sri' title.

Tan is reputed to be a close associate of then prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad while Tengku Adnan at the time served as Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of legal affairs.

Adnan had denied that he was a 'judicial fixer' but has made no commitment to help a government established independent panel probing the authenticity of the video clip.

Over the past two weeks, ACA had taken statements from Anwar, PKR vice-president R Sivarasa and Anwar's aide Sim Tze Tzin.

Yesterday, Anwar said the sources who brought the video to his attention would only come forward if a royal commission of inquiry - which has powers to protect and grant immunity to whistleblowers - was established to probe the allegations to impropriety in the video.


SPECIAL REPORT: The Lingam tape