Saturday July 5, 2008 MYT 4:12:27 PM

Najib denies involvement in PI's retraction

By SIMON KHOO

The Star

PEKAN: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has denied any involvement in private investigator P. Balasubramaniam's sudden retraction of his statutory declaration.

Najib said, "I have no knowledge of anything."

Balasubramaniam on Thursday announced his statutory declaration linking Najib to murdered Mongolian translator Altantuya Shaariibuu. On Friday, however, he made a new statutory declaration, retracting his earlier declaration.

Najib said the incident should not have occurred in the first place.

"Those involved are making a mockery of the provisions in the country's laws.

"They are not afraid. Maybe, there is a motive and a bad intention or perhaps, offered a carrot to initiate the move.

"I also regretted that an Opposition leader was involved in the matter that touched on an ongoing trial which is subjudice in nature," he told reporters Saturday after opening the Peramu Jaya 3 Rukun Tetangga scheme here.

Najib, who is also Pekan MP, said in other countries, subjudice proceedings would be initiated against those involved in discussing ongoing trials.

"The fate of three men are in the hands of the court over a very serious criminal charge," he said, adding that the case was not an issue which could be politicised.

On the 24-hour retraction by Balasubramaniam, Najib said he would leave it to the authorities to take the appropriate action.

"His retraction means he has no credibility in whatever he had said earlier.

"I had to make a strong denial before this as it was not an issue of seeking the truth but a political ploy to influence public perception," he said, adding that he would not seek legal redress or hide behind an injunction.

Najib added that Malaysian politics has now reached a stage of employing dirty tactics including disregarding the country's laws.

In expressing regret over the present political situation, Najib said some politicians were willing to go to such extents to achieve their political ambitions.

Najib said despite the issue having an adverse effect on his image, he had to face it somehow since it was the intention of those involved. However, he was confident Umno members would stand by him and not be easily influenced by the action of the perpetrators.

He also urged the people to think maturely and differentiate between what is true and false.

"Slander is not something new but in the age of ICT, it could spread much faster and wider.

"As such, the people must strengthen their belief and make a conclusion with the right frame of mind," he said.