Altantuya's dad in KL for three-day visit



Setev Shaariibuu, the father of Altantuya, the Mongolian translator who was killed in a gruesome murder in Shah Alam six years ago, is visiting Malaysia today to meet with his lawyer and a human rights group.

According to Setev's lawyer in Ulaanbaataar, Munkhsaruul Mijiddorj, the Mongolian university professor was in Singapore for two days before arriving in Kuala Lumpur for a three-day visit.

parliament 2008 first day 280408 setev"The visit in unofficial. Mr Shaariibuu is visiting Singapore and Malaysia with two Mongolian officials to talk to some people about the case," said the lawyer in an email.

Munkhsaruul was referring to a RM100 million civil suit Setev had filed against the government and two police officers who were found guilty of murdering Altantuya.

Setev (left) had filed the suit on June 4, 2007 to seek compensation for the physical and mental anguish suffered by his spouse and two grandchildren as a result of his eldest daughter's death.

It is learnt that Setev plans to meet his lawyer, Karpal Singh, and has requested a meeting with human rights NGO Suaram.

Defence company denies corruption

Suaram has recently filed a case against French giant shipyard builder DCNS for allegedly paying kickbacks involving millions of ringgit to top government officials.

DCNS and Thales International (or Thint Asia) had established a joint company named Armaris to manufacture two Scorpene-class submarines for Malaysia.

The two submarines - named after first prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman and Najib's father, second premier Tun Abdul Razak - have since been delivered to the Malaysian Navy.

The RM7.3 billion deal was inked in 2002 when Prime Minister Najib Razak was defence minister.

Najib, who later became deputy prime minister, had denied that he ever knew Altantuya or was involved in her murder.

Olivier Metzner, a lawyer for Thales, had told French daily Le Parisien that "we have already demonstrated to investigators that there was no corruption in this case."
Paying of commission is illegal in France and two investigating magistrates - Roger Le Loire and Serge Tournaire - have been appointed at the Paris Tribunal de Grande, which hears corruption cases.

military malaysia navy french built submarine scorpene classAccording to French-based news agencyAgence France Press, the probe involves three contracts for the submarines which were signed on June 5, 2002.

The papers revealed that at least some of the 36 million euro (RM144 million) funnelled through a Hong Kong-based company - Terasasi (Hong Kong Ltd) - had allegedly ended up in the pockets of top Malaysian politicians.

One of the principal officer of Terasasi is believed to be political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda, a close confidant of Najib.

According to the documents, the contracts also involved the provision of "logistical support" by Perimekar Bhd - worth 114 million euro (RM457 million) - to train the first 200 Royal Malaysian Navy personnel.

In 2007, the Defence Ministry denied that commissions were paid to Perimekar, whose key shareholder was Abdul Razak's wife, Mazlina Makhzan.

It stressed that the submarines were procured through direct negotiations in accordance with the government's procurement procedures.

RM100 million civil suit delayed

Abdul Razak was subsequently charged for the murder of Altantuya, who was believed to be his mistress, but was acquitted without his defence being called.

However, Azilah Hadri and Sirul Azhar Umar - Najib's former bodyguards - were sentenced to death for murdering Altantuya with military-grade plastic explosives by the Shah Alam High Court in April 2009.

Setev's civil suit can only commence after the appellate court has disposed the appeal by the two police officers, which has been fixed for hearing on Aug 27-28.

Meanwhile, it is believed that Suaram is making plans to get Setev to appear at the French court in Paris.

Suaram director Cynthia Gabriel earlier told Malaysiakini that the NGO can recommend several individuals to appear as witnesses in the French trial, which has taken nearly three years to go to open court.

parliament 2008 first day 280408 sharibuu setev"However, it is still up to the courts to decide who to call as witnesses," she said, adding that the case in France would however not revolved around Altantuya's murder.

"But if she were involved as a translator in any of the deals brokered, it may shed some light into her death, which has continued to haunt Malaysians," she added.

Setev is expected to go to Parliament tomorrow in an attempt to meet with "relevant ministers" and to hold a press conference to highlight his long-pending civil suit and express his hopes that his family would be able to find some closure to his daughter's murder.

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