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KUALA LUMPUR - MALAYSIA'S former top judge accused his predecessor of deceit, strengthening suspicions of long-running feuds in the judicial hierarchy.
Speculation that senior judges have secretly jostled for power became public after opposition politicians leaked a video clip in September that showed a man who appears to be prominent lawyer V.K. Lingam boasting about helping a high-ranking judge advance his career.
Mr Dzaiddin Abdullah, Malaysia's chief justice between 2000 and 2003, testified on Tuesday at a public inquiry ordered by the government to investigate the clip, in which Mr Lingam apparently claims that Mr Dzaiddin 'hates' his predecessor, Mr Eusoff Chin.
'I don't hate him, but I dislike him,' Mr Dzaiddin said. 'He keeps telling not the truth.'
Mr Dzaiddin claimed that Mr Eusoff - who was chief justice between 1994 and 2000 - lied to him throughout those years about recommending him as a candidate for coveted state honours.
Mr Eusoff's lawyers said they would seek his instructions about whether to respond to Mr Dzaiddin's claims.
Mr Lingam has told the inquiry that he refuses to confirm or deny whether he is the man in the video, claiming he cannot recall the incident.
Nevertheless, he has denied brokering the appointment of judges, saying he could have been drunk and falsely bragging in the video.
In the video, the man identifies the speaker on the other end of the phone as Mr Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim, Malaysia's No. 3 judge at the time. Mr Ahmad Fairuz became chief justice in 2003 and retired last year.
Mr Ahmad Fairuz has denied he was the person speaking to Mr Lingam or that he conspired with others to elevate himself.
On Tuesday, Mr Ahmad Fairuz testified at the inquiry that he was not aware of any factions in the judiciary, and stressed it would not be easy to manipulate judicial appointments.
'Under the constitution, there is a series of consultations to be done,' Mr Ahmad Fairuz said. 'I don't think it is that simple to put up a judge.'
The man in the video clip - recorded by a visitor to Mr Lingam's home - can be heard saying that Mr Ahmad Fairuz is 'Eusoff Chin's man'. He also indicates he would work with a senior politician and business tycoon to help Mr Ahmad Fairuz become the chief justice. -- AP
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