Police studying allegations by Raja Petra

KUALA LUMPUR: Police are investigating Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Kamaruddin on his statutory declaration over purported facts related to the murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu under Section 203 of the Penal Code.

Federal CID director Comm Datuk Mohd Bakri Zinin said that it was an offence punishable up to two years’ jail or a fine, or both, for anyone to give false information.

He said police had yet to pick up Raja Petra for questioning as they were still studying the allegations filed by the 58-year-old blogger on June 18.

“We will have to look into the claims made by Raja Petra first before we decide to pick him up or not,” he said yesterday. He added that the matter could be sub judice as the Altantuya murder case was still being heard.

In the declaration, Raja Petra claimed that three people – one of them a prominent woman – were present at the scene during the murder of the Mongolian translator in October 2006.

Comm Bakri said that the three individuals named in the document would be called up to assist in investigations.

Meanwhile, Raja Petra’s wife Marina Lee Abdullah, when contacted yesterday, said: “The police have yet to call up my husband.”

Copies of the two-page declaration together with the identity of the trio have been posted on various blog sites.

In the document, Raja Petra said he was reliably informed of the allegations. Meanwhile, the Attorney-General’s Chambers has lodged a police report against Raja Petra over the statutory declaration.

Dr Shaariibuu has read RPK’s declaration
SHAH ALAM: Dr Shaariibuu Setev has read the statutory declaration made by Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Kamaruddin alleging the presence of three individuals at the scene where his daughter was murdered.

However, he said, whether he believed the contents was another matter.

“I cannot comment whether he’s right or wrong,” he told reporters after the prosecution closed its case in the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder trial yesterday.

Dr Shaariibuu, who arrived here on Sunday evening, said he was aware of Raja Petra’s recent arrest for allegedly publishing a seditious article on his web portal.

Describing Raja Petra as a person trying to seek justice, he said he was worried that Raja Petra would encounter a hard time because of his efforts.

Dr Shaariibuu claimed there were also people who wanted to “take action” based on what they had read from Raja Petra’s statutory declaration.

“But before they take action, they came and asked me for my advice. I then asked the Mongolian government for advice because my government is very concerned about these issues,” he said.

However, Dr Shaariibuu did not disclose what instructions he received from his government, although he hinted that the matter involved two countries, not two persons.

Asked how he felt now that the prosecution had finally wrapped up its case after the year-long trial, Dr Shaariibuu replied that the case was far from over as the parties had yet to make their submissions.

”My two grandchildren always cry for their mother and my wife, who suffers from a mental disorder, always wakes up calling out our daughter’s name. That is my life now,” he said.

Party distances itself from Raja Petra’s accusations
KUALA LUMPUR: PKR has distanced itself from the allegations made by Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Kamaruddin, said party vice-president Azmin Ali.

He dismissed speculation that PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was in any way involved in getting Raja Petra to make the allegations.

“Why must you link everything to him?

“That statutory declaration was prepared by Raja Petra. It has no links to any political party. We must respect the courage of Raja Petra to put everything on record. That carries a lot of weight,” he said at the Parliament lobby yesterday.

Raja Petra, at the height of the Anwar crisis in 1998, was a strong supporter of the sacked deputy prime minister. He had been one of the key persons disseminating information on Anwar and Parti Keadilan Nasional (now PKR) through various websites.

However, he was said to have had a fall out with Anwar later.

Azmin denied that PKR was trying to drive a wedge between Umno’s two top leaders.

“They are already having big problems which are deepening now,” he claimed.

On the plans for a no-confidence vote against Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as Prime Minister, he said Pakatan Rakyat was still looking into and discussing the approach and strategy.

“Parliament only ends on July 15 so there’s no rush. What is important is that the transition (from Barisan to PR) is smooth,” he said.

Last week the Sabah Progressive Party broke ranks with the Barisan Nasional coalition, by saying that it has lost confidence in Abdullah’s leadership and its two MPs would support a no-confidence motion or vote against the Prime Minister,

Azmin said the Sept 16 time frame for Anwar to be Prime Minister was still on track.

“But it could be much earlier than that,” he said.

Barisan won 140 seats in Parliament, while the Opposition has 82 seats.

Altantuya Trial: Prosecution wraps up case
SHAH ALAM: After 124 days, the prosecution finally wrapped up its case in the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder trial.

Justice Mohd Zaki Md Yasin said he would hear submissions on July 23.

Lead prosecutor DPP Tun Abd Majid Tun Hamzah closed the case yesterday at the conclusion of the third and final trial-within-a-trial of the case to determine the admissibility of a portion of evidence given by a police officer.

He informed Justice Mohd Zaki that the prosecution was offering 144 witnesses to the defence.

In the high profile case, Unit Tindakan Khas (UTK) operatives C/Insp Azilah Hadri and Kpl Sirul Azhar Umar are charged with murdering the 28-year-old Mongolian translator between 10pm on Oct 19 and 1am on Oct 20 two years ago in Mukim Bukit Raja, here.

Political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda is accused of abetting them.

The prosecution and defence will submit on five matters. They are on the:

> ADMISSIBILITY of Asst Supt Zulkarnain Samsudin’s testimony that Kpl Sirul Azhar had led police to recover Altantuya’s jewellery from his Kota Damansara flat and had pointed at them there;

> ADMISSIBILITY of the testimony given by C/Insp Koh Fei Cheow that he obtained information from C/Insp Azilah that led police to the crime scene in Puncak Alam;

> IMPEACHMENT proceedings against star witness L/Kpl Rohaniza Roslan – C/Insp Azilah’s old flame – over contradictions between her testimony and the statement she gave police after she was detained for investigations;

> IMPEACHMENT proceedings against UTK Deputy Supt Mohd Yusri Hasan Basri over his testimony which contradicted his police statement; and

> THE main trial itself.

At the end of submissions, Justice Mohd Zaki will decide whether to order C/Insp Azilah, 32, Kpl Sirul Azhar, 37, and Abdul Razak, 48, to enter their defence.

The case, one of the most talked about in recent years, first captured the public’s attention in early November 2006, when the press reported the gruesome killing in which the deceased’s body was blown up using explosives.

Subsequently, the UTK operatives were charged with the murder on Nov 15, 2006 while the political analyst, who later admitted to have had an affair with the deceased, was charged a day later with abetment.

Star Online
24/06/08