Court wants V K Lingam’s medical report

He faces contempt proceedings for alleging a Federal Court bench of plagiarising its judgment in a civil case

PUTRAJAYA: The Federal Court here today instructed counsel representing V K Lingam to submit his client’s (Lingam) medical reports in three months’ time.

Lingam who is facing contempt proceedings with 24 others for alleging a Federal Court bench of plagiarising its judgment in a civil case, is receiving medical treatment in the United States.

Justice Suriyadi Halim Omar, chairing the five-member panel, directed counsel C K Lim to compile all his client’s medical reports.

“I want to see it in three months’ time,” said Justice Suriyadi who sat on the panel with Justices Jeffrey Tan Kok Wha, Abu Samah Nordin, Ramly Ali and Azahar Mohamed.

Earlier, Lim requested the court to adjourn the hearing of the contempt of court proceedings as Lingam could not be present in court today due to a medical condition, causing him to undergo surgery for the second time.

Justice Suriyadi then fixed October 12 for mention of the matter.

On August 8, last year, the Federal Court allowed Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail to take over the contempt of court proceedings against Lingam, a senior lawyer, former Kian Joo Can Factory Bhd (KJCF) group managing director See Teow Chuan and 23 others who were the majority and minority contributories of Kian Joo Holdings Sdn Bhd (KJH).

The Attorney-General took over from the original applicants, KJH liquidators Ooi Woon Chee and Ng Kim Tuck who withdrew the contempt of court charges against Lingam and the 24 people.

Under Order 52 of the Rules of Court 2012 for committal, anyone who has purged his contempt can be jailed, fined or get away after issuing an unreserved apology.

The legal dispute that led to the contempt proceedings in the case began in 2009 when the respondents went to the High Court after a rival company Can-One International Sdn Bhd won the tender to purchase a 32.9 per cent stake in KJFC.

The respondents failed in the High Court to stop Can-One from acquiring the shares. However, the Court of Appeal reversed the decision.

The case was then taken to the Federal Court where a three-member panel of judges ruled in favour of the liquidators.

The respondents then filed a review, citing plagiarism in the court’s written judgment but was dismissed by the Federal Court on May 22, 2013.

- BERNAMA