Zaid: Cabinet to decide whether to make public 'Lingam tape' Royal Commission Report - The Sun

KUALA LUMPUR (May 13, 2008): By Giam Say Khoon

The cabinet will decide on Friday (May 16) whether to make public the royal commission's report on the Lingam Tape, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Zaid Ibrahim.

"I have read the report and I will brief the cabinet members in the weekly meeting," he added.

Asked whether the report will be made public, Zaid said: "It is possible because there were royal commission reports that were made public in the past.

"I cannot tell you (the reporters) what I will do, but the cabinet will decide," he told a press conference in Parliament lobby today.

He said the cabinet will also decide the next course of action based on the report.

On the anti-hopping law, Zaid said although he was the one who proposed it but no political parties have shown serious interest in the law, so he will stop at the current development to enact such a law.

"Unless there is great interest from all political parties because this requires a lot of support. This is not a priority project as the priority now is judicial reform," he said.

Asked what will happen if the Barisan Nasional MPs start crossing over to the opposition if there is no law to stop them, Zaid refused to speculate.

Zaid also challenged Karpal Singh (DAP-Bukit Gelugor) to lodge a report with the Anti-Corruption Agency against him to prove that he was involved in money politics.

Zaid said Karpal Singh should not question his qualification as a minister using the reason that he was allegedly involved in money politics in 2004.

"I wanted to tell him that I am not guilty and I did not do such thing.I had urged anyone to lodge a report just to investigate me at that time," he said.

Zaid said he was confident and ready to face any outcome based on ACA investigation.

He said Karpal should not use the parliament to smear people.

Asked whether he will file a defamation suit against Karpal Sing and demand an apology, he said he would not do so but he wanted the issue to be investigated.

"Karpal Singh raised the issue in the parliament because he is protected by parliamentary immunity but as an MP, he must be responsible for what he says," he said.