Businessman Loh Mui Fah today spoke to Malaysiakini on his and his son’s role in the controversial Lingam tape.

Malaysiakini: How did you become involved in the Lingam tape?

Loh Mui Fah: You can see that the video was taken a number of years back. The speculation was quite right, it was in 2002 (that the video clip was recorded) but in fact it was at the end of December 2001. During the time, we have had engagement with (lawyer) VK Lingam on legal matters.

So he was your lawyer?

Yes, he was my lawyer. I know VK Lingam for quite a number of years. You can consider it quite normal that I was invited to have dinner in his house.

(Your relationship with Lingam) went back how many years?

Probably around the mid-90s.

He has been your lawyer from the mid-90s?

I wouldn’t say he was my lawyer but he had given me legal advice. And one of the reasons that I was invited (to Lingam’s house for dinner), I think you can consider that he knew me for quite some time. Probably one of the more important reason is that despite that he was representing us legally, we feel that he was not doing enough as our lawyer in our cases. All the time, (there was) not sufficient time given attending to our cases.

Sorry to say that he was probably too busy, probably (there were other) more important things to do. We felt that, probably he felt it as well, that there wasn’t sufficient time given to us attending to our issues. So he said ‘why not come to my house in the evening, nobody would disturb (us) so that I can at least give you more time and discuss your matters’.

What kind of businesses are you involved in?

I am involved in IT (information technology) and the forestry sector, and overseas projects. I’ve been in the business circle for quite a while and if a BN leader were to ask me, I will say I’m more familiar with the BN leaders than any of the opposition leaders.

So you see yourself closer to BN leaders?

At least, I know some of them very well.

So you were invited to this dinner by VK Lingam?

Yes, so we went along.

When you said ‘we’ went along, who does that include? your father? your son?

No, my son was following me.

Tell us exactly what happened that night when you arrived at his house for dinner?

We were offered drinks, not alcohol. Some other people were supposed to join us but it turned out to be only him. Of course, in the process VK Lingam’s sister came along. Our intention of discussing our matters were interrupted by his sister (who is also a lawyer) coming in, talking about their own legal issues. So if they were talking, I was only listening.

After that, the sister left. We had dinner. After dinner, we sat down, supposed to have a relaxed evening to discuss our issues. Then all the calls came, incoming calls.

And he was using the same phone?

No, he was using different phones. He had many phones.

These were all handphones?

Different handphones. He hardly used a fixed line phone. I think he has so many prepaid phones.

And this particular controversial phone call (which was recorded) - what happened?

I think there were more (phone calls). Just like his sister consulting him on certain legal issues. We spent the whole night in his house.

This was from what time to what time?

I would say not later than 7pm until not earlier than 11pm.

Regarding the phone call?

I think probably the one who took the video was not aware (that Lingam was talking to then Chief Judge of Malaya Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Halim). You see, during the end part, I asked him (who was the person he was talking to). At that very (moment), there was no knowledge who it was (on the other end of the line). That’s why after the call, I asked (him) the question (who it was). If I did not ask the question, probably this thing would not be answered. I do know why I asked the question.

Your question was who was that person?

Yes, who was that person. I think the rest could be seen by yourself.

Was your son took the video?

Yes, it was my son.

He knew that he was taking the video or was it by accident?

I think this would be best answered by him...

But you were there as well...

Everybody (at the dinner) was aware that he (Loh’s son) was taking photographs of us.

Tell us how the video was taken?

On this part, I do not know. During this time, I was not even aware that the video was on recording us. Honestly, I wasn’t aware. If I were aware, I’d behaved a little better. I wouldn’t even asked the question.

When did you become aware of the video?

I was aware of it after it was released. I can tell I was not pleased to see this thing surfacing publicly. I was not the one who gave, neither have I consented the video to be released. In fact, I wasn’t even aware that was such video clip.

How did your son managed to record that clip?

The best person would be my son to answer the question. Of course, after all these things, when I enquire - it was quite a powerful camera at that time as I discovered now. The camera was very advanced. It had 5 megapixels. Five megapixels in 2001 was tremendous even by today’s standards.

So it was a photo camera with video capacity?

It must be.

Where is your son now?

He is China-based.

When did you see (the video clip)?

It must be a few weeks later (after it was made public)

And what was your reaction?

I was quite unhappy that I was involved in a controversial issue. I’m being put into a very difficult situation.

You have written to the (government-appointed) panel of inquiry?

Yeah.

By email?

There was an address they gave. They gave the public (and asked them to) contact this address, then I contacted that address. I have double ascertained the whole issue by writing to the prime minister.

I could also see during the time there were debates - oh, witnesses please come forward. All the security would be assured. It is only natural that I want to be assured that I am given the due protection, whatever security the government thinks fit.

And you wrote to the prime minister asking for that (protection). What response did you get from the prime minister?

[Long pause] Just like now I’m responding to you.

No response.

[Nodded]

There was one occasion where you said you were stopped by the ACA officers.

It was an intrusion of my privacy. We were quite cautious how all the time we had been following, trailing by people. Very uncomfortable.

Of course, having said that, we received threatening phone calls. I wouldn’t want to speculate because they (the callers) never identified (themselves).

What did they say?

They were talking about asking me to watch out for my life. ‘We can finish you.’ By ‘finish’, means what? I received those kinds of calls. Again as I told the police, I received these things. They said, ‘how do you prove (that the calls were made)? where do you find these people?’ I should be putting this back to the police.

How many police reports did you lodge?

I must have lodged at least a report.


Part 2: ACA forced me out into the open