Friday July 4, 2008

Anwar: Proof on Najib soon

KUALA LUMPUR: Evidence allegedly linking Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to murdered Mongolian translator Altantuya Shaariibuu will be released in the next few days.

“The next evidence will come in the next few days. Just be patient. This is not the end. I just want to test the nerve and commitment of the Prime Minister,” said PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

He was taking questions from reporters at the press conference where private investigator P. Balasubramaniam – once hired by Abdul Razak Baginda – released a statutory declaration that alleged Najib’s involvement with Altantuya.

Anwar pointed out that when his wife Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and daughter Nurul Izzah met the Prime Minister in Parliament on Tuesday, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi gave the assurance that he would investigate Anwar’s recent police report against the Attorney-General (A-G) and Inspector-General of Police (IGP) about fabricating evidence in the 1998 infamous “black eye” incident.

Anwar, however, noted that just 10 minutes after Abdullah gave the assurance, he (Abdullah) told reporters he had full confidence in the A-G and IGP.

“So I don’t know what he means by giving that assurance because my police report involves these two key institutions and they had fabricated evidence against me,” he said.

PI’s account: Anwar shaking hands with Balasubramaniam at the press conference organised by PKR yesterday. With them are the PI’s lawyer Americk Singh Sidhu (left) and Sivarasa.

Likening the latest allegation on the Altantuya case to the V.K. Lingam video-clip saga, Anwar said it was like a series in a Bollywood drama.

Anwar said he was not interested in the personal nature of a purported relationship between Najib and Altantuya because that was “his and her business.”

But what concerned him was Balasubramaniam’s allegations that the police had suppressed evidence, adding that “such suppression could have only happened with the full knowledge of top public officials such as the IGP and the A-G.”

“Suppression of information is a crime,” he charged.

He questioned whether the suppression of the evidence was also the reason behind the last minute switch in the deputy public prosecutor handling the case and the reason why the DPP – Salehuddin Saidin – had put in papers for early retirement.

He also questioned why the head of criminal division of the A-G’s chambers, Datuk Yusof Zainal Abiden, was completely sidelined from the case.

He added there were also questions now why there was a sudden switching of the judge fixed to hear the case.

“Did Datuk Seri Najib lie when he said he had never met Altantuya before? Did Datuk Seri Najib lie when he said that he was not involved in any commission deals for the purchase of the Scorpene submarines,” he said.

Anwar alleged the revelations showed a “clear and consistent pattern of abuse of power and manipulation of the criminal justice system” which was evident during his case back in 1998 and this time too it involved the same people – Najib, A-G Tan Sri Gani Patail and IGP Tan Sri Musa Hassan.

“These are serious implications for the administration of justice in the country where institutions like the police, A-G’s office and judiciary are already tarnished,” he said, calling for the setting up of a Royal Commission of Inquiry.

To a question, Anwar said he had reason to believe that Najib’s people had been aware that he (Anwar) had been in the process of obtaining a statutory declaration on the Altantuya case and this was what triggered the recent sodomy allegations against him by 23-year-old Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan.

He said these people were making a “big blunder” by accusing him of sodomy and that he had a strong alibi.

He also said his lawyer had advised him against saying more on the case and that he would reveal all in court.

PKR vice-president R. Sivarasah, who is a lawyer, said it was obvious now from Balasubramaniam’s statutory declaration that it would lead to a mistrial of the Altantuya case.

He said it was timely that Balasubramaniam had come forward with his sworn statement because it allows the prosecution to do something about it.