Najib never knew Altantuya, Putrajaya says again after Al Jazeera exclusive
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak never knew, met or communicated with Altantuya Shaariibuu, Putrajaya has said in response to a new documentary by Al Jazeera on the Mongolian woman's murder in 2006.
"The prime minister did not know, has never met, has never had any communication with and has no link whatsoever with the deceased.
"The two convicted individuals were not the prime minister's personal guards. This allegation is intentionally misleading, and has been used to perpetuate baseless conspiracy theories," Al Jazeera quoted a statement issued by Putrajaya, referring to former policemen Sirul Azhar Umar and Azilah Hadri who have been sentenced to death over the murder.
Putrajaya said no evidence of Najib committing any wrongdoing had emerged throughout police investigations into the murder as well as the numerous court trials.
It said "the allegations are entirely false smears motivated by political gain".
"Political opponents and their media allies have been trying to attack the prime minister on this issue for many years."
It added that Altantuya was never involved in the Royal Malaysian Navy's multi-billion ringgit purchase of the Scorpene submarines.
The purchase was under the spotlight several years ago due to the alleged payment of €114 million (RM500 million) in commission to Perimekar Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of KS Ombak Laut Sdn Bhd, of which the wife of Najib’s aide Abdul Razak Baginda is a principal shareholder.
Razak was Altantuya's lover, and was acquitted of abetting in her murder.
"The purchase was directly negotiated between the Malaysian and French governments. Perimekar is 40% owned by the Malaysian Armed Forces Fund Board (LTAT), a respected government statutory body," said the government spokesman.
"Perimekar was paid by the government of Malaysia to handle all logistics, training and coordination on behalf of the Royal Malaysian Navy."
It said the contract with Perimekar was transparent and included training necessary for submariners and technicians to handle the submarines.
"They navy did not have the manpower to handle these matters over the eight-year period of the construction of the submarines and coordination of the logistics," said Putrajaya.
It said the purported French investigation into the deal was over the possibility that French firms had paid kickbacks to Malaysian officials to secure the submarine contract.
The investigating judges had never contacted Najib over the matter, said the government.
It added that the investigation was not unusual, as similar ones had been carried out over French defence contracts with Taiwan and India.
"The reality is that there was absolutely no wrongdoing on the prime minister's part in the government's purchase of the submarines. Absolutely no payments ever benefitted him.
"Again, these are baseless smears for political gain," said Putrajaya.
In the video, Al Jazeera noted claims that Altantuya was owed money over the submarine deal, which Razak had brokered.
It cited French investigation papers which revealed that Altantuya had been by Razak's side as Perimekar fulfilled its contract with the navy while the submarines were being built. – September 11, 2015.
Journalist deported after Al Jazeera docu on Altantuya
An Al Jazeera journalist who produced a half-hour investigative piece on the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder was deported by Malaysian authorities last June.
The current affairs programme 101 East showed Australian journalist Mary Ann Jolley being escorted by officers at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
“I’m being escorted by about 5 customs agents and a man in a military outfit, so I’m about to board my flight to Sydney. Clearly I hit a raw nerve," Jolley said in the programme as she walks to board her flight to Sydney.
The programme, aired on Al Jazeera yesterday, investigates those involved in the Altantuya saga, and asks whether the two men convicted of the murder are “fall guys” for others.
In its response, the Malaysian government strongly denied any links between the Mongolian woman and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, and dismissed allegations of corruption and kickbacks surrounding the murder as attempts by political opponents to smear him. – September 11, 2015.
MORE TO COME
