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Altantuya murder: PM: Raja Petra's action unacceptable
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Probe has begun on the claims
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Abdullah denies getting report on Altantuya case
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Shaariibuu wants allegations thoroughly probed
©The
Straits Times, Singapore (Used by permission)
by Carolyn Hong, Malaysia Bureau Chief
• No House debate on murder allegations
Malaysian PM says he doesn't believe they are involved
KUALA LUMPUR - PRIME Minister Abdullah Badawi yesterday dismissed allegations
that the wife of his deputy Najib Razak was involved in the murder of a
Mongolian interpreter.
Datuk Seri Abdullah also said that he had not received military intelligence on
the matter.
'I don't believe that Najib and Rosmah (Mansor) are involved in this case,' Mr
Abdullah told reporters yesterday.
It was the first time that the Prime Minister was responding to the allegations
made in a statutory declaration filed in court last week by blogger Raja Petra
Kamaruddin.
And it was also the first time that the names of Datuk Seri Najib and his wife
were mentioned in the open by a top official, although conspiracy theories over
the murder of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu have been raging for months.
The mainstream media has reported the sworn statement by Raja Petra but only in
general terms and has not identified Datin Seri Rosmah by name, until now.
Mr Abdullah was asked about the matter by reporters after an official meeting
yesterday.
Ms Altantuya, 28, was killed in October 2006, and her former lover Abdul Razak
Baginda has been charged with abetting in her murder.
Two police officers from the Special Action Force are charged with the killing.
Raja Petra, 58, who is already facing a sedition charge over an article linking
Mr Najib to the murder, had linked Ms Rosmah to the case in his sworn statement.
He also alleged that a Malaysian ruler is aware of the matter, and that a report
had been given to the Prime Minister and his influential son-in-law Khairy
Jamaluddin.
'It is stated (in Raja Petra's statutory declaration) that I received a report
from the military intelligence. That is not correct,' Mr Abdullah said.
He added: 'Of course I am concerned (over the allegations). What Raja Petra did
is unacceptable...because what he stated is incorrect.'
The Premier said the Attorney-General has told him that an investigation will be
carried out and action will be taken against Raja Petra.
The Altantuya murder has been a political hot potato for Mr Najib and the
government since the case became public knowledge.
Mr Najib last month spoke in Parliament about the issue for the first time.
'As a responsible citizen, and to uphold justice and truth, I am stating again
that I do not know, nor have even met, the woman referred to in this case as I
have explained several times,' he said.
The allegations by Raja Petra are seen by some political observers as a move to
tarnish the image of Mr Najib.
He has been named by Mr Abdullah as the next prime minister, a transition that
could happen soon as the Prime Minister has been under siege since the March 8
polls.
Outside Umno, the opposition has been targeting Mr Najib in an attempt to hurt
his reputation and weaken the Barisan Nasional coalition.
No House debate on murder allegations
THE Malaysian Parliament yesterday refused to discuss
allegations linking the wife of the Deputy Prime Minister to the murder case of
Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu.
The Speaker rejected the motion brought by Democratic Action Party (DAP) veteran
Lim Kit Siang on the basis that the murder trial was still pending.
But most of the action yesterday occurred outside the Parliament's chamber, as
more than 100 journalists staged a boycott of press conferences because
officials had blocked their access to politicians.
Mr Lim had informed Parliament on Monday that he wanted the Altantuya issue
debated in the House following a statutory declaration filed in court by blogger
Raja Petra Kamaruddin last week.
Ms Altantuya was killed in October 2006. Political analyst Razak Baginda is
charged with abetting two policemen with her murder. Razak and Ms Altantuya were
lovers.
Raja Petra, who is already facing sedition charges over an article linking
Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak to the murder case, had alleged that Datuk
Seri Najib's wife and two other people were present when the Mongolian woman
died.
Mr Lim said it would be a blow to the credibility and legitimacy of the
premiership of Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi if the issue was not investigated.
This was not the only excitement in Parliament. The Malaysian media went on a
rare boycott after finding that officials had cordoned off the lobby where they
usually meet Members of Parliament.
The journalists from the print, online and electronic media covered proceedings
in the chamber but stayed away from news conferences held outside it, including
one by Mr Najib.
Said DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, an MP from Penang: 'There can never be
a First-World parliament without press freedom and where reporters are not
permitted to do their job in a freely available and amicable manner.'
The Parliament administration cited vague security reasons for the decision.
Barisan Nasional backbenchers' club deputy chairman Bung Mokhtar Radin
personally removed the barricades in the afternoon, and announced that it was
back to 'business as usual'.
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Circular No 297/2008
How is it that the PM can conclude that his deputy and wife did not commit the hideous crimes as accused by Raja Petra? did he carry out investigations? Is he also the police now?
Lim Chong Leong