Lawyer to consult with Abdul Razak Baginda first

Lawyer to consult with Abdul Razak first
The Star
4 July, 2008

PETALING JAYA: Lawyer Wong Kian Kheong said he will consult his client Abdul Razak Baginda on the statutory declaration made by the political analyst’s former private eye.

He said this was after the statutory declaration was brought to his attention.

“I need to seek instructions from my client,” he told The Star yesterday when asked about the statutory declaration made by P. Balasubramaniam, who had testified as the first prosecution witness in the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder trial.

The declaration was also news to Datuk Hazman Ahmad and Kamarul Hisham Kamaruddin, the lawyers representing the two policemen charged with the murder.

Hazman, counsel for C/Insp Azilah Hadri, said he was “very surprised” with the contents of the statutory declaration by the private investigator, who had been hired by Abdul Razak to keep the Mongolian woman away from him.

“I really don’t know where these details came from. This is the first time I’m hearing this,” the lawyer said yesterday.

Hazman said it was a practice for him to always ask his clients everything that had transpired when he accepted their cases.

“I only know of what my client had told me, and all of that was presented in court,” he said.

Kamarul Hisham, counsel for Kpl Sirul Azhar Umar, said these allegations needed to be investigated.

“I have only read the declaration based on what was posted online,” he added.

Kamarul Hisham said the declaration was extraneous material as far as the trial was concerned.

“However, if there is any truth to the declaration, then it throws a big question on the culpability of the three people standing trial for the murder,” he said.