Altantuya Murder - Najib should go on leave from his DPM duties until cleared of allegations in Balasubramaniam SD

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak should go on leave from his duties as Deputy Prime Minister until all questions implicating his credibility, especially arising from the statutory declaration by private investigator P. Balasubramaniam, are investigated and cleared.

Balasubramaniam’s statutory declaration dated 1st July and made public today in effect challenged the truth and veracity of various statements and denials by Najib in connection with the murder of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu in October 2006 – that Najib had not known or ever met Altantunya.

Najib, as well as the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, cannot allow Balasubramaniam’s shocking statutory declaration to go unchallenged as it raises grave fundamental issues as to their fitness to hold high political offices in the land.

Balasubramaniam’s shocking statutory declaration has brought back to Malaysians the emotional scene at the Kuala Lumpur magistrate’s court on 16th November 2006 when Razak was charged for abetting the murder of Altantuya, when his wife Mazlinda Makhzan lost her cool and shouted at journalists: “My husband is innocent. My husband is a good man. He supported me and protected me. Why are you writing all these stories about him. He is not out to become the Prime Minister. Why are they doing this to him?”

Mazlinda’s emotional outburst in November 2006 have now been resurrected to the very fore of public consciousness by Balasubramaniam’s statutory declaration, crying out for full clarification.

Balasubramaniam said the purpose of his statutory declaration, among other things, was to

1) State his disappointment at the standard of investigations conducted by the authorities into the circumstances surrounding the murder of Altantuya Shaaribuu.

2) Bring to the notice of the relevant authorities the strong possibility that there are individuals other than the three accused who must have played a role in the murder of Altantuya Shaaribuu.

3) Persuade the relevant authorities to reopen their investigations into this case immediately so that any fresh evidence may be presented to the court prior to submissions at the end of the prosecutions case.

4) Emphasise the fact that having been a member of the Royal Malaysian Police Force for 17 years, he is absolutely certain no police officer would shoot someone in the head and blow up their body without receiving specific instructions from their superiors first.

5) Express his concern that should the defence not be called in the Altantuya murder trial, the accused, Azilah and Sirul will not have to swear on oath and testify as to the instructions they received and from whom they were given.

These are issues of urgent definite public importance for which Parliament should take instant cognisance by having an immediate debate, unless and until the Prime Minister can act promptly to assure the Malaysian public that the government is prepared and capable of responding swiftly, credibly and responsibly to the crisis of confidence in the government precipitated by the Balasubramaniam statutory declaration.

Lim Kit Siang