The Bar Council must pay RM70,000 in costs to lawyer VK Lingam in connection with the decision to set up a tribunal to investigate a complaint against him over an alleged vacation to New Zealand with former chief justice Mohd Eusoff Chin in 1994.

On Oct 14, the Federal Court deputy registrar ordered the Bar to pay the amount to Lingam.

lingam tape hearing 300108 vk lingam 02 Today, Federal Court judge James Foong, who heard Lingam's application to review the quantum, in his decision said the court had no justification to disturb the deputy registrar's assessment, and thus, reaffirmed the decision.

The quantum was awarded to Lingam, following the Federal Court's refusal of the Bar Council's appeal over the Advocates & Solicitors' Disciplinary Board's decision to set up a tribunal after Lingam failed to reply to the Bar's complaint over the New Zealand holiday trip.

In 2003, the High Court allowed Lingam's appeal over the decision to set up the tribunal to investigate the complaint.

The High Court deputy registrar then ordered the Bar to pay RM100,000 in costs to Lingam, and upon appeal, it was reduced to RM70,000.

Earlier, counsel V Sivaparanjothi, who represented Lingam, submitted that the court should increase the amount to at least RM150,000, as the complaint had affected Lingam's profession.

He also said he had spent a lot of time to do research due to the complexity of the matter.

- Bernama