Malaysiakini:Expert: Lingam clip authentic (updated)

Posted by: jfaMalaysia on: January 15, 2008

• In: Crime | good governance | Human Rights | juiciary | justice | malaysian politics | politics | tranparency
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Digital expert: Lingam tape authentic

Soon Li Tsin | Jan 15, 08 3:55pm

A computer forensic analyst today told the royal commission on the VK Lingam tape scandal that the controversial video clip was authentic and contained no signs of editing. Mohd Zabri Adil Talib, 28, a senior digital computer forensic analyst with Cybersecurity Malaysia, a government agency under the Science and Technology Ministry, said that there were also no signs of tampering or dubbing of the clip which was revealed by opposition party PKR in September. Testifying during questioning by deputy public prosecutor Azmi Ariffin, he said he had reached his conclusion after scrutinising the audio and visual aspects of both the eight-minute and 14-minute versions of the video. “My analysis found the movement of the objects recorded consistent and authentic. If it was tampered or edited, the pixellation would show. “The audio file that was extracted from the video is also consistent and not edited, therefore it can be concluded that no dubbing had been made,” he told the court. The issue of authenticity of the Lingam tape video has been a key issue since the scandal was first reported on Sept 19 when PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim released the video clip at a packed press conference. The government then set up a three-member panel to investigate the matter. This was followed by the present royal commission following a recommendation by the panel. Zabri also testified that laboratory tests done in Madrid, Spain proved that one random sample labelled ‘Voice Sample 2′ matched the one in the video. ACA enforcement officer Wan Zulkifli Wan Jusoh had before this told the commission that  ‘Voice Sample 2′ was, in fact, lawyer VK Lingam’s (left). ‘Perplexing’ answer Following this, commissioner Mahadev Shankar asked Lingam’s lawyer R Thayalan to reveal his client’s stand as to whether he was the man in the video or not. Thayalan said: “I have not received instructions from my client on this matter. All he has told me is that the man in the video looks like him and sounds like him.” Amidst laughter from the public gallery, Mahadev said he was ‘perplexed’ by this answer because Lingam’s stand on this matter must be established to expedite the proceedings. Thayalan could not give an answer and instead told the commissioners to wait for Lingam to be quizzed when called as a witness. The proceedings at the Kuala Lumpur High Court premises resumes tomorrow. PKR’s Anwar and party vice-president R Sivarasa are expected to testify tomorrow. DPP Azmi also made it known that former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad is also scheduled to be questioned. Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang, meanwhile, lambasted the royal commission for not summoning Lingam as its first witness. In a statement today, said that Lingam’s ‘admission of the authenticity of the tape would have saved time, money and resources’. “If Lingam is prepared to admit up-front the authenticity of the video-clip, then the country can be spared the rigmarole of the completely unnecessary testimony of ACA officers going to Lingam’s house in Kelana Jaya to take photographs of its living room and compare it with the location in the clip,” said Lim. ‘Invoke full powers’ He said there would also be no need for other related testimony such as expert evidence from the private laboratory in Madrid to verify that the voice on the video clip matched that of Lingam’s. “These evidences to establish the authenticity of the video-clip would only be necessary if Lingam challenges the authenticity issue, in which case, he should be stood down as a witness until the commission has crossed the ‘authenticity’ hurdle with all available verification testimony.” With the clip’s authenticity confirmed, the royal commission can then quickly move to the serious business of determining whether those mentioned in the tape had committed any wrongdoing and face punishment, pointed out Lim. “Of course, should Lingam issue a flat denial about the authenticity of the video-clip … and the royal commission reach a subsequent conclusion that the video clip was genuine, the commission should invoke the full punitive and penalty powers available to it to deal with Lingam.” Lim said that it was not too late for the commission to ‘act smart’ and fast-track the current process of calling witnesses for testimony to establish the authenticity of the clip. The five-member commission comprises former Chief Judge of Malaya Haidar Mohd Noor (chairperson), former Court of Appeal judge Mahadev, Suhakam commissioner Dr Khoo Khay Kim, former chief judge of Sabah and Sarawak Steve Shim and former solicitor-general Zaitun Zawiyah Puteh. They are assisted by Prime Minister’s Department legal affairs division director-general Abdullah Sani who acts as secretary for the commission. A team of minute-takers are also present to assist in compiling the hearings for the commission to come up with their report later. The commission was set up to ascertain the authenticity of the video clip; identify the persons in the video clip; ascertain the truth or otherwise of the content of the conversation in the video clip, determine whether there is any misconduct and to recommend appropriate action against the person or persons identified in the video clip if there is misconduct.