Anwar wishes Razak well, but alleges cover-up

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 31 — Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim wished Abdul Razak Baginda well, but questioned the manner in which the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder case was handled by the police and the prosecution.

“Of course on a personal level, I wish Razak well, but the issue here revolves around the court procedure and the investigations,” he told reporters when met at the Jalan Duta court complex.

The Shah Alam High Court earlier today acquitted Razak, who was charged with abetting in the murder of Mongolian national Altantuya, but ordered Corporal Sirul Azha Umar and Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri, both charged with murder, to enter their defence.

“There is a general and growing perception that the investigation was not done professionally, that there is clear motive to cover up. A lot of evidence was not adduced,” said Anwar.

Anwar also questioned the move to change the prosecution team and the presiding judge. The case was originally heard before Justice K.N. Segara before it was transferred to Justice Datuk Mohd Zaki Md Yassin. The prosecution team led by Salehuddin Saidin was replaced with another team led by Tun Abdul Majid Tun Hamzah.

“The prosecution here has failed to conduct the case professionally. That we have seen from the beginning. The changes made and the judge, so this is the initial concern,” said Anwar.

He also commented on the alleged involvement of the Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

“In the light of more revelations involving the Deputy Prime Minister and SMSes and evidence we have raised in Parliament, and the public has raised this a number of times, so while I am not physically on the Abdul Razak Baginda case, the case is clearly bigger than what it is,” he added.

Early this month, Malaysia Today carried a report detailing what it alleged was an exchange of text messages between Najib and Datuk Shafee Abdullah, the prominent lawyer who represented Razak, a close associate of Najib.

In one SMS, Najib allegedly tells the lawyer that Razak — his advisor — “will face a tentative charge but all is not lost”.

Najib later said the SMS exchange was private and insisted that there was no abuse of power.

themalaysianinsider