by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjung, Lim Kit Siang, in Petaling Jaya on Wednesday, 22nd July 1992:
The main persons at issue in the Vijandran Pornographic Videotape Scandal II is no more D.P. Vijandran but Samy Vellu and other leaders who had helped in its cover-up since 1989
The production of a Vijandran pornographic videotape by DAP Deputy Chairman and MP for Jelutong, Sdr. Karpal Singh, in Parliament on Monday can be described as the beginning of Vijandran Pornographic Videotape Scandal II.
The MIC Taman Nong Chik branch chairman Suresh Naidu yesterday publicly admitted that he had watched a pornographic videotape featuring D.P.Vijandran.
Naidu said he watched the tape with a few friends on Monday night, asserting that there was “no doubt” that it was Vijandran who was performing lewd acts with a woman.
Naidu said that in the tape, Vijandran was always looking at a hidden camera whenever he performed sexual acts.
D.P.Vijandran, however, has become comparatively irrelevant in the Vijandran Pornographic Videotape Scandal II, as the main issues and personalities in this second episode of the scandal is the role played by leaders, particularly the MIC President, Datuk Samy Vellu, in the cover-up of the scandal since 1989.
Samy Vellu knew what was on exactly on the videotapes in question, yet he misled both the MIC leadership and membership, Parliament and country by helping in the cover-up of the Vijandran pornographic videotape scandal.
It was Samy Vellu who stated publicly himself on 18th January 1990 that he knew what was on the incriminating videotapes.
This was the date that Vijandran announced that he was going on ‘leave of absence’ as Deputy Speaker of Dewan Rakyat because of the ‘irresponsible action’ of DAP MPs in creating a ‘ruckus in Parliament’, and not because he was guilty of the pornographic videotape scandal.
Samy Vellu gave full support to this statement by Vijandran on the same day. When told by the press that he was “cool” towards the allegations against Vijandran, Samy Vellu said “the reason is I know the truth.”
In keeping with his earlier pronouncement on 5th January 1990 that he had full confidence that Vijandran would come out of the pornographic tapes controversy “with flying colours”, Samy Vellu defended Vijandran’s innocence for the rest of the year up to the October 1990 general elections.
Samy Vellu’s role in the cover-up of the Vijandran pornographic videotape scandal since December 1989 shows that he is a political leader who has no respect for truth, political morals and integrity.
Samy Vellu surely owes a full explanation to the MIC leadership and membership, the Indian community, Parliament and the whole country for his role in the cover-up of the Vijandran pornographic videotape scandal.
Zaman Khan should explain why he misled the Deputy Home Minister, Parliament and the people in the cover-up of the Vijandran pornographic videotape scandal.
Another personality who was involved in the cover-up of theVijandran pornographic videotape scandal was the CID Director, Datuk Zaman Khan.
When Karpal first raised the Vijandran pornographic videotape scandal in Parliament on December 6, 1989, the Deputy Home Minister, Datuk Megat Junid Megat Ayub, who was then in the House, said he would have to look into the allegations.
On December 11, 1989, Megat told the press that the case involving the Vijandran pornographic videotapes had been referred to the Attorney-General for further action.
On December 14, 1989, Zaman Khan said in Johore Bahru that a report on investigations into the Vijandran pornographic tapes was “almost complete” and would be submitted to the Home Ministry soon.
However, on January 10, 1990, Zaman Khan shocked the country by announcing that the Police had destroyed the eleven pornographic videotapes and four envelopes of 2,000 photographs and negatives as far back as January 1989 on the directive of the Attorney-General, Tan Sri Abu Talib.
It is clear that Zaman Khan had misled the Deputy Home Minister into announcing on December 11, 1989 that the case was still pending in the hands of the Attorney-General, and that he had misled the country three days later when he said that the report into the investigations of the pornographic videotape scandal was ‘almost complete’.
The questions Malaysians are entitled to ask are:
Firstly, were the eleven Vijandran pornographic videotapes and four envelopes of 2,000 photographs and negatives actually destroyed in January 1989, or they are still in the possession of the Police?
Secondly, if the Vijandran pornographic videotapes, photographs and negatives had been destroyed by the Police, were they destroyed after Karpal raised the issue in Parliament or before?
Thirdly, if the Vijandran pornographic videotapes, photographs and negatives were destroyed by the Police in January 1989, why did it take the Police more than one month after the scandal had been exposed by Karpal before making such an announcement?
Zaman Khan had clearly participated in a cover-up of the Vijandran pornographic videotape scandal since December 1989, and he should explain why he misled the Deputy Home Minister, Parliament and the whole country on this scandal.
Now that Karpal had produced a Vijandran pornographic videotape in Parliament, and the MIC Taman Nong Cik Branch chairman, Suresh Naidu had also admitted that he had seen such a Vijandran pornographic videotape with his friends, is Zaman Khan going to re-open the case or is he going to continue to help in its cover-up?