Missing – the star – 8.7.08

Najib: I know nothing about it – Malaysiakini

Jul 5, 08 4:36pm

Najib Abdul Razak has denied speculations that he was behind the retraction of private investigator P Balasubramaniam’s first statutory declaration (SD) which had linked him with a murdered Mongolian woman.

MCPX

“I have no knowledge of anything. I know nothing about him,” he told reporters when asked on the matter in Pekan today.

In the first SD made public on Thursday, Balasubramaniam claimed he was told that Najib had a sexual relationship with the woman and that the DPM had introduced the Mongolian to his aide, Abdul Razak Baginda.

However, the private eye retracted all parts linking Najib to the woman in his second SD made the following day.

As at 4pm today, Malaysiakini learns that Bala and his family had ‘gone missing’ and that his cousin was contemplating filing a ‘missing person’ report with the police.

At the Pahang event, Najib also said that Malaysian politics was degenerating to a level of being dirty with the opposition using slander and statutory declaration to achieve their political objectives.

He charged that the opposition was inclined to make fools of the rule of law and politicise cases currently being tried in court to change people’s perception towards government leaders.

“I mention this as a principle, meaning if we love our country we must realise that to build a country like Malaysia is not something easy. Don’t we do something that can destroy what we have done.

“Secondly, the rule of law is very important. Don’t we talk about law of the jungle and so on but we ourselves are not practising it,” he was quoted in a Bernama report.

Lots of assumptions

Najib said slander was not something new in politics but the information technology era had enabled slander to spread wider and quicker.

On the trend of making sworn declaration to run down leaders, Najib said: “They are undermining legal provisions because they are not afraid. Perhaps, they have certain motives and intentions. Perhaps also they get some rewards. Lots of assumptions we can make.”

Commenting on the initial allegations against him in Balasubramaniam’s first SD, Najib said he was leaving it to the authorities whether to take action.

“This (the first statutory declaration) should not have happened. I regret this thing happened and it is because firstly a case is ongoing in court. Should the same happen in other countries, action would surely be taken against them because it is subjudice touching on a case still being tried in court.

“My regret was there were opposition leaders involved in the press conference touching on a case still ongoing in court. The case was serious involving the fate of three people facing a very serious charge. Why would we want to inject political elements and so on?” he said.

Asked whether Balasubramaniam’s statutory declaration had tarnished his image, Najib said: “I have to face it. What can I do when they have such an intention.

“I have to accept that in Malaysian politics it is okay to play dirty, make fools of the law as long as their objectives are achieved,” he said.

Bala’s new statutory declaration in full-Malaysiakini

Jul 4, 08 1:10pm

The following is the new statutory declaration released by P Balasubramanian today at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur.

MCPX

I, Balasubramaniam Perumal, do solemnly and sincerely declare as follows:

1. I have been a police officer with the Royal Malaysian Police Force having joined as a constable in 1981. I was subsequently promoted to the rank of lance corporal and finally resigned from the Royal Malaysian Police Force in 1998.

2. I currently work as a freelance private investigator.

3. I wish to refer to the statutory declaration I affirmed on July 1, 2008. I refer specifically to paragraphs 8, 25, 28, 49 and 50 to 52, wherein I have stated inter-alia that:

a) Abdul Razak Baginda informed me that he was introduced to Altantuya Shaariibuu by a VIP;

b) Najib Razak informed Abdul Razak Baginda that he had a sexual relationship with Altantuya Shaariibuu and that she was susceptible to anal intercourse;

c) Najib Razak instructed Abdul Razak Baginda to look after Altantuya Shaariibuu as he did not want her to harass him since he was the deputy prime minister;

d) Najib Razak, Abdul Razak Baginda and Altantuya Shaariibuu had met and all been together at a dinner in Paris;

e) Altantuya Shaariibuu wanted money in the sum of US$500,000 as a commission for a submarine deal she assisted with in Paris;

f) Altantuya Shaariibuu met Najib Razak in Singapore;

g) Altantuya Shaariibuu wanted me to arrange to see Najib Razak;

h) I told the police about the relationship between Najib Razak and Altantuya Shaariibuu but when it came to sign my statement this detail was left out;

i) The prosecutor during the course of the trial in the High Court of Shah Alam did not ask me any questions in respect of Altantuya Shaariibuu’s purported relationship with Najib Razak or of a phone call I received from one DSP Musa Safri, whom I believe was the ADC to Najib Razak and/or his wife;

j) Abdul Razak Baginda informed me that he had sent Najib Razak an SMS the evening before he was arrested but did not receive a response; and

k) Najib Razak sent an SMS to Abdul Razak Baginda on the day of his arrest to the effect that he was going to see the IGP that day and that the matter should be resolved and for Abdul Razak Baginda to remain calm.

4. I wish to retract all the statements that I have made in paragraphs 8, 25, 28, 49 and 50 to 52 of my statutory declaration dated July 1, 2008. The statements contained in paragraphs 8, 25, 28, 49 and 50 to 52 of my statutory declaration dated July 1, 2008 are inaccurate and not the truth. I wish to expressly state that:

a) At no material time did Abdul Razak Baginda inform me that he was introduced to Altantuya Shaariibuu by a VIP;

b) At no material time did Razak Baginda inform me that Najib Razak had a sexual relationship with Altantuya Shaariibuu and the she was susceptible to anal intercourse;

c) At no material time did Abdul Razak Baginda inform me that Najib Razak instructed Abdul Razak Baginda to look after Altantuya Shaariibuu as he did not want her to harass him since he was the deputy prime minister;

d) At no material time did Razak Baginda and/or Altantuya Shaariibuu inform me that Najib Razak, together with Abdul Razak Baginda and Altantuya Shaariibuu had met and all been together at a dinner in Paris;

e) At no material time did Altantuya Shaariibuu inform me that she wanted money in the sum of US$500,000 as a commission for a submarine deal she assisted with in Paris;

f) At no time whatsoever did Abdul Razak Baginda and/or Altantuya Shaariibuu inform me that Najib Razak met with Altantuya Shaariibuu in Singapore;

g) At no time whatsoever did Altantuya Shaariibuu inform me that she wanted me to arrange to see Najib Razak;

h) At no time did I tell the police during the course of their investigations about any relationship between Najib Razak and Altantuya Shaariibuu as no such relationship existed to my knowledge. Accordingly, the statement I signed before the police is complete;

i) At no time did Abdul Razak Baginda inform me that he had sent Najib Razak an SMS the evening before he was arrested; and

j) At no time did Abdul Razak Baginda inform me that Najib Razak had sent him an SMS on the day of his arrest to the effect that he was going to see the IGP that day and that the matter should be resolved and for Abdul Razak Baginda to remain calm.

5. In addition, I wish to retract the entire contents of my statutory declaration dated July 1, 2008. I was compelled to affirm the said statutory declaration dated July 1, 2008 under duress.

And I make this solemn declaration voluntarily and conscientiously believing the same to be true, and by virtue of the provisions of the Statutory Declarations Act 1960.

Balasubramaniam a/l Perumal