Lawyer Matthias Chang this morning challenged Justice Ian Chin of the Sarawak High Courts to an open debate within seven day for his allegations of “thinly veiled threats” against former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad. Otherwise, risk by being demanded by an “Officer of the court” like Matthias Chang to be sacked from the esteemed job at the bench by the Chief Justice. He also made an open call to Chief Justice Tun Abdul Hamid Mohamad to verify Chin’s claim in the open as he also attended the special meeting with Dr. Mahathir, then.
“Outrageous accusations lodged against him (Dr. Mahathir), (so) those in the know must come forward” urging CJ Hamid and other Judges to come forward and either corroborate Chin’s allegations or retired Court of Appeal Judge Dato’ Shaik Daud Ismail‘s and another serving Judge’s, as per reported in the papers.
“These are serious charges. Chin used language unbecoming of a Judge”, reiterated Chang again today. He also questioned the timing of this, now, as previously also raised by BigDogDotCom.
On the same note, he also charged Minister in the Prime Minister’s department Dato’ Zaid Ibrahim as “Corrupt, no transparency, no integrity, more of a crony of the Prime Minister!”. He explained that Zaid was unfit to his current postion as he was found guilty of money politics by UMNO Disciplinary Board and “Refused to appear infront of the Disciplinary Board to prove his innocence”. This was said in the context of Zaid’s statement in that he did not doubt that Chin was telling the truth.
He is ready to be dragged to court by either Chin, Tun Hamid and Zaid for these challenges. Matthias Chang called for a media conference as his law office in Jalan Kampar (Off Jalan Ipoh), Kuala Lumpur this morning. The list also include Bar Council President Ambiga Sreenivasan, who according to Chang issued a statement accepting Chin’s allegations, without even bother investigating the truth. “She is a hypocrite!”.
Later, Chang added that this issue being raised now has an ulterior motive. “Whenever there is a crisis under PM’s (Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) watch, the diversion is to attack Dr. Mahathir”.
*Updated 3.30pm
This is Malaysiakini.com’s report on Matthias Chang’s media conference this morning:
Dr M’s ex-aide: Judge bitter because he wasn’t promoted
Andrew Ong | Jun 13, 08 2:10pm
Sabah and Sarawak High Court judge Ian Chin made damning allegations of judges being threatened and sent to an ‘indoctrination boot camp’ because he was not promoted, claimed lawyer Matthias Chang.
Chang, a former political secretary to former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, said that Justice Chin was “angry” because he was not promoted as Chief Judge of Sarawak and Sabah.
“He cannot understand why Richard Malanjun was promoted to the post instead. He blames the former prime minister but he care not to examine his infantile behaviour,” Chang said in a statement distributed at a press conference at his office in Kuala Lumpur today.
Before hearing the Sarikei election petition on Monday, Chin told both parties that Mahathir issued “thinly veiled threats” during the Judges Conference in 1997 to remove judges through a tribunal.
Chin claimed that a month later, together with selected judges and judicial officers, he was packed off to a ‘boot camp’ and was indoctrinated with the view that “the government’s interest was more important than all else”.
Chang dismissed Chin’s claims that Mahathir had threatened the judges in the 1997 conference by citing two judges quoted by New Straits Times on Wednesday.
In the report, former Court of Appeal judge Shaik Daud Mohad Ismail had expressed shock at Chin’s claims and not remembering Mahathir issuing any threats.
Similarly, an anonymous serving judge quoted by NST said that Chin may have “took the opportunity to speak from the Bench because he thought Mahathir was responsible for blocking his promotion”.
Chief Justice should speak up
In response, Chang said that the statements from the two judges had showed that Chin was making “wild allegations” against Mahathir.
“At least two judges have contradicted the veracity of (Chin’s) statement. There must be an investigation against him on whether the veracity of his statement against Mahathir is founded,” said Chang.
He also slammed de facto law minister Zaid Ibrahim who was quoted as saying that he had “no reasons to doubt” Chin’s claims despite the reports quoting the two judges.
Chang also questioned the timing of Chin’s revelation and why the latter complained of Mahathir’s alleged threats with the proper authorities.
“How can he expect the ordinary man to report against corruption when he does not dare to stand up and report to the Chief Justice?” he added.
Chang then challenged Chin to a public debate on the latter’s clams.
“And I challenge him to hold me in contempt of his court in making this challenge,” he said.
Chang also took serving Chief Justice Abdul Hamid Mohamad to task for failing to “clear all doubts” about what actually happened in the 1997 conference.
“Those in the know (and attended the conference) should come out and clear the air,” he added.
He added that the Abdul Hamid should also initiate investigations into Chin’s allegations.
The "thirteen million plus Ringgit" guy rambles.... 
