One of the two whistleblowers responsible for the Lingam tape is captured in the unedited version of the video clip, PKR officials said today.

"But we will only reveal their identities to a royal commission of inquiry," insisted PKR political coordinator Sim Tze Tzin at a press conference today.

Sim told reporters that the whistleblowers helped to create the recorded telephone conversation in early 2002, purportedly in lawyer VK Lingam's residence in Kuala Lumpur.

"Mr X and Mr Y came forward to us, so we will bring them forward to testify (if there is a royal commission)," said Sim.
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Meanwhile, PKR secretary-general Khalid Ibrahim, who was present at the press conference, revealed he had yet to see the video when questioned.

"I don't need to see the first part. You give us the royal commission... I will personally come and watch the show," said Khalid.

The first part of the video - about 8 minutes long - was released last month while the second part consisting another 7 minutes of the clip is being held back by the opposition party to protect the identity of the whistleblowers.

Earlier, the opposition-backed Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) lamented that the three-man independent panel, headed by former Chief Judge of Malaya Haidar Mohd Noor, has not made any headway in establishing the authenticity of the Lingam tape.

"After a month of the ACA report, the authorities have not shown any interest in investigating the issue of corruption in the appointment of the chief justice," said Bersih committee member and PKR treasurer-general William Leong (left).

"Instead, they appear to be interested only in obtaining the identity of the source of the information."

Two days after the video was made public by PKR de-facto leader Anwar Ibrahim, the government called for an independent panel to investigate its authenticity.

Despite being urged on by the Bar Council, the government declined to set up a royal commission to investigate the allegations of corruption raised in the Lingam tape.

"(The panel) is given a narrow and restricted term of reference to look into the authenticity of the video. This is something that a technical expert can establish in a day," said Leong.

Leong pointed out that the panel has yet to call up VK Lingam and Chief Justice Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim.

"They could have appeared before the panel and vindicated themselves if the video had not been authentic. Instead, the panel asks the ACA for assistance," he said.

Abusing ACA powers

Earlier this month, the ACA has called up party political coordinator Sim and PKR de facto leader Anwar to quzz them over the video.

The ACA has said that it could not provide protection for whistleblowers but said information it obtained would be kept confidential.

"Now it appears that the powers of the ACA are being used to obtain the identity of the informant - to be revealed to the cabinet through the panel.

"There is no reason why investigations cannot proceed in this case, and if an offence is found to have been committed to prosecute without having to obtain the identity of the informant," said Leong, who is a trained lawyer.

He said the Watergate investigations that lead to the impeachment of US President Richard Nixon in 1974 did not depend on the authorities obtaining the identity of 'Deep Throat', a highly placed source.

It was 31 years later that Mark Felt, a former deputy director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, was revealed to be the source.


SPECIAL REPORT: The Lingam tape