Penang Watch

Strong suspicion of a link between the DPM Najib and the murdered Mongolian Atantuya has been suggested to be confirmed by a Statutory Declaration by a private investigator employed by Abdul Razak Baginda-which is posted here in Anwar's blog. Enjoy the reading to get a glimpse of the way criminal investigations in Malaysia could have been compromised. If the story is confirmed the SD would expose the conspiracy at the highest level in covering up a heinous crime. All those involved should then step down from their position of power because they had let down the people in discharging their duty in honesty and transparency.

Press Statement and Statutory Declaration on Relationship between Najib and Altantuya

From the Office of Anwar Ibrahim: Press Statement - for immediate release

3 July 2008, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia

Today we witness another episode of a consistent pattern of abuse of power and manipulation of the criminal justice system.
Recently one of the witnesses in the Altantuya trial approached us with
detailed information of events connected to her disappearance and
murder. The information was shocking.

Mr. P. Balasubramaniam, who was engaged by Abdul Razak Baginda as a
private investigator was advised to seek legal counsel and document his
story independently.

Today he is releasing a statutory declaration dated 1st July 2008 to
the public detailing the story that he has to tell about what actually
happened and what was told to him by key personalities in this saga
including Abdul Razak Baginda and Altantuya herself.
These revelations speak for themselves. They reveal, amongst others, the following allegations:

1.Mr. Balasubramaniam was engaged by Abdul Razak Baginda to deal
with alleged harassment by Altantuya in relation to debts owed to her
(Paragraph 5 and 6).

2.Altantuya was promised a commission of USD 500,000 for assisting
in a submarine deal in Paris (Paragraph 22, Paragraph 25.5 and
Paragraph 28.2 and 28.3 ).

3.Altantuya was introduced to Razak Baginda by Datuk Seri Najib Tun
Razak at a diamond exhibition in Singapore ( Paragraph 25.5 and
Paragraph 28.1).

4.Altantuya, Datuk Seri Najib and Razak Baginda had all been seen together at a dinner in Paris (Paragraph 28.2).

5.After the disappearance of Altantuya, a commotion took place in
front of Razak Baginda’s house several days after 20 December 2006
where girl friends of Altantuya and one Mr.Ang (Altantuya’s own private
investigator) arrived searching for Altantuya. Balasubramaniam had to
call the police. A patrol car arrived shortly. Shortly thereafter an
investigating officer from Dang Wangi Police Station who was handling
the missing persons report lodged by one of Altantuya’s girl friends
arrived. Balasubramaniam then informed Razak Baginda who was at home to
inform him of the events taking place at his front gate. Razak then
called one DSP Musa Safri who called him back informing him that Musa
would be calling him on his handphone and that he was to pass the phone
to the inspector from Dang Wangi Police station. Balasubramaniam then
received the call from Musa Safri and duly passed the phone to the
inspector. After the conversation of 3 - 4 minutes, the inspector told
the girls to disperse and to see him the next day (Paragraphs 34 - 38).
We believe DSP Musa Safri was aide-de-camp to Datuk Seri Najib at the
material time.

6.Balasubramaniam was interrogated at Bukit Aman for seven
consecutive days and his statement recorded at the end of November
2006. He says that he told the police all that he knew including
everything Razak Baginda and Altantuya had told him about their
relationships with Najib. These details were omitted from the statement
he was asked to sign (Paragraph 49).

7.During the trial of Sirul, Azilah and Razak Baginda at at the Shah
Alam High Court, the prosecutor did not ask him any questions in
respect of the relationship Altantuya had with Datuk Seri Najib or of
the phone call that he had received form DSP Musa Safri (Paragraph 50).

8.When Razak Baginda was arrested, Balasubramaniam was told by him
that he had sent an SMS messsage to Najib the evening before (Paragraph
51). Razak also informed Balasubramaniam that he had received an SMS
from Najib and showed it to him; the message read “I am seeing IGP at
11 A.M. today …. matter will be solved … be cool”.
Mr. Balasubramaniam’s evidence also mentions the extent of the
relationship between Altantuya and Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. We are
not interested in the personal nature of the relationship. That is
entirely his own business and hers.
However the allegations revealed by him raise key questions of public interest:
a)Suppression of evidence by the police investigating officers and
those responsible for prosecuting this case. Such suppression could
only have happened with the full knowledge of top public officials such
as the IGP and the AG.
b)The question is also raised as to whether such suppression of
evidence was the reason behind the last minute switch in DPP’s handling
the case - where the head of the Criminal Division of the AG’s
Chambers, Datuk Yusuf Zainal Abiden was completely sidelined from the
case leading him and the senior DPP originally slotted for the case
Sallehudin Saidin to put in papers for early retirement some months
later.
c)Questions can be raised now with regard to the sudden switching of
the judge fixed to hear the case which took place in March 2007 - why
was this really done?
d) Did Datuk Seri Najib lie when he said that he had never met Altantuya before?
e) Did Datuk Seri Najib lie when he said that he was not involved in
any commission deals for the purchases of the Scorpene submarines”

Mr.Balasubramaniam’s evidence vindicate what we have been saying all
along; there has been no proper investigation of the murder of
Altantuya and the investigation and proceedings in court seem to
following a pre-arranged script for a pre-arranged outcome.

This has serious implications for the administration of justice in
the country where the integrity and credibility of our key institutions
such as the police, the AG’s chambers and the judiciary are already
severely tarnished.
Today’s revelations further confirm a clear and consistent pattern of
manipulation of the criminal justice system that we have witnessed in
this country since 1998.

The allegations revealed here warrant a full Royal Commission of Inquiry.

ANWAR IBRAHIM