The government's obsession with pursuing the whistleblowers while meticulously avoiding mention of the two principal alleged culprits - lawyer VK Lingam and current Chief Justice Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim - is the surest sign that the 'Lingam tape' is not only authentic, but is also known to the government to be authentic.

Significantly, three full weeks after the exposure of this explosive recording on Sept 19, revealed political manipulation and illicit fixing of senior judicial posts, both alleged culprits have not openly denied the serious charges, and have also steadfastly remained incommunicado and invisible to the public.