KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 9 – Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz revealed today that Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigations had found no elements of corruption when Tun Eusoff Chin and lawyer V. K. Lingam went for a holiday to New Zealand together.

The opposition had attempted to use the 2000 holiday trip to back its claim that former chief justice and the senior lawyer had enjoyed a close relationship and link it with the scandalous video recording of the latter fixing the appointment of judges.

Nazri, while giving his ministerial winding-up speech on the 2010 Budget, said though the Royal Commission had shrugged off explanations by Eusoff and Lingam that the trip was “coincidental”, MACC investigations showed that Eusoff had paid for all of his own expenses, contrary to the opposition’s allegations.

“Both the flight tickets and accommodation had been paid by Eusoff, either using cheque, cash or credit card. The flight tickets of his entire family were paid using cheque and cash amounting to RM23,704,” the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department told Parliament.

He also said that Eusoff had arranged for the holiday himself through an agency while Lingam had made separate arrangements but had instructed his aide to use the same agency used by the judge.

“It is important to explain that there is nothing wrong with taking holidays together. Investigations have been launched into this and no laws have been found to be broken and therefore no action will be taken,” Nazri said.

His explanation, however, contradicts testimony by Lingam’s former secretary, L.G. Jayanthi, who claimed she was instructed by her boss to make travel arrangements for him and his family, together with Eusoff’s family, to New Zealand.

Nazri also repeated MACC’s claim that it was unable to proceed with the investigation into the New Zealand trip because it could not locate a key witness.

But opposition leaders claim the government is lying and is trying to cover up the fiasco.

PKR vice-president and Subang MP R Sivarasa says party officials have been in contact with the key witness, and he promised to present the key witness at a public appearance soon.