The ghost of Altantuya
haunts her alleged killers
right into Malaysian Parliament.
The most brutal murder
of the century crops up
as Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister
Datuk Seri Najib Razak
wound up debate
on the RM60 billion boost.
Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo
shouted: "Answer me, you murderer.
"DPM, you are involved in the murder case,
stand up and explain yourself.
Come back, I 'm not finished with you."
Najib was caught off-guard
as he was walking away.
He walked back to his seat
and sat down.
Deputy Speaker Ronald Kiandee
in a flash went to his aid,
ordering Gobind
out of the House
escorted by the
Sergeant-at-arms.
Several People Alliance MPs
including DAP adviser
Lim Kit Siang(MP - Ipoh Timur)
jeered and protested the
suspension for the day
of Gobind
staging a mass walkout
together with him
in protest.
Najib later left
Parliament
with his wife
Rosmah Mansor
two children
and his entourage.
Mongolian beauty
Altantuya Shaariibuu
was shot twice and blown
up
into pieces
with C-4 plastic
explosives
in October 2006.
Her lover
Abdul Razak Baginda
has been aquitted and discharged
of abetment in her murder.
Abdul Razak Baginda
is head of the Malaysian Strategic Research Centre
think tank
and close associate of
Najib Razak.
Together both men
were believed to have
great fun with Altantuya
with Najib allegedly passing her
to Abdul Razak Baginda
for safe-keeping.
French newspaper
Liberation revived
the Altantuya story
last week linking her,
Najib and Abdul Razak Baginda
in Malaysia's multi-billion euros
purchase of two Scorpene submarines
Najib was then Malaysia's
Defence Minister.
He is now Finance Minister
after switching porfolios
with outgoing Prime Minister
Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
He is scheduled to take over
the helm from Abdullah
later this month.
Abdul Razak Baginda
is alleged to be Najib's
intermediary for the commission
paid by French-Spanish joint venture
shipbuilder Armaris.
Liberation splashed
detailed report
on how Altantuya
was shot in the left side
of her face and blown up
into pieces in jungle clearing
near Subang Dam
in Puncak Alam,Shah Alam.
Altantuya had gone missing
in October 19,2006.
She was last seen getting into
a car outside Abdul Razak Baginda's
house.
Two elite special action force
police personnel
are being charged
for her murder.
The court is expected
to deliver the verdict
next month in what
has been a long drawn out
trial to minimise its
political impact.
Liberation reported
Rosmah,jealous of Altantuya,
refused to pay her
a single cent of US$500,000
commission.
It claims
the share of
Abdul Razak Baginda and Najib
amounted to 114 million euros.
The deal
was alleged
to have been done via Perimeker,
owned by Abdul Razak Baginda's
Ombak Laut.
During the trial,
Gobind's father,
Karpal Singh
has been holding
a watching brief
for Altantuya's family.
Karpal,
DAP chairman
and prominent Malaysian lawyer,
had sought in vain to recall
private investigator
P.Balasubramaniam,
the first prosecution witness.
Balasubramaniam has since
gone missing.
On July 23,2007,
the High Court
rejected Karpal's petition
to obtain testimony
from Deputy Prime Minister
Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
High Court judge
Mohd Zaki said
Karpal Singh
had no locus standi
or is in no position
to make the application.
He ruled
only the parties involved,
the prosecution and the defence,
have the right to do so.
The trial has dragged on
over more than one-and-half-year
leading to acquittal and discharge
on October 31,2008 of Abdul Razak Baginda
of abetment in the murder.
Blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin(RPK)
editor of Malaysia Today
has accused
Najib's wife
Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor
as being one of three people
who witnessed the bomb blow-up
of Altantuya at the crime scene
on October 19,2006.
He claimed
Rosmah,acting colonel Aziz Buyong
and his wife,Norhayati,
who is Rosmah's aide de camp
were there as Aziz Buyong
placed the c-4 plastic explosives
on Altantuya's body and blew it up.
RPK made the allegations
in the first statutory declaration
in connection with the murder case.
In the second statutory declaration
made by Abdul Razak Baginda's
private investigator
P.Balasubramaniam,
Najib was alleged to
have had a sexual relationship
with Altantuya with the trio -
Najib,Altantuya and Abdul Razak Baginda
dining together in Paris.
Balasubramaniam claimed
Abdul Razak Baginda told him
Altantuya was Najib's lover.
Najib passed her to him
to avoid harassment
as he is Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister.
Balasubramaniam alleged
there were text messages
between Najib and Abdul Razak Baginda
as the latter sought Najib's help to
avoid arrest.
On July 1,2008, Balasubramanim suddenly
retracted all allegations with reference to
Najib.
Since then Balasubramaniam, his wife
and children have all gone missing.
Meanwhile, an association of independent
journalists co-ordinated by French Liberation
correspondent Arnaud Dubus,
has set up
the Altantuya Foundation
in Bangkok.
The Altantuya Foundation
aims to offer concrete help
to Mr. Shaariibuu Setev,60,
the father of Altantuya and her
two children - Altanshagai,five,
and Mungunshagai,14.
The Mongolian embassy in Bangkok
will supervise
it and convey all donations directly to
Mr. Shaariibuu.
Well known Thai human rights activist
and chairman of the Union of Civil Liberties
Danthong Breen
is the first donor.
Arnaud Dubus said he met Mr.Shaariibuu in Ulan Bator
in January.He was touched by how the Mongolian had to work two different jobs to take care of his orphaned grandchildren.
"I am a journalist but I also have a heart.
"I could not help feeling compassion for the Shaariibuu family,"
he adds.
People of all nationalities, East and West, can show support for the family of Altantuya.
For details, contact altantuyashaariibuu@yahoo.com
