Najib says glad truth out about Altantuya

LAWAS, April 14 – Datuk Seri Najib Razak said today he was thankful that the truth had been revealed about allegations linking him and his wife to the Altantuya murder case.

Blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin said in an interview with TV3, which was aired yesterday, that he was merely writing accusations made by others against Najib and Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor over the murder of Altantuya Sharibuu.

“I’ve always considered the matter closed,” said Najib (picture) after launching the Seri Malaysia hotel here today.

“It was only an issue in the realm of the court of public opinion,” added the prime minister.

Raja Petra was yesterday quoted as saying: “I never accused the Prime Minister or his wife of being involved in the murder of Altantuya Sharibuu.”

The interview in Perth recently was conducted by a senior editor, Ashraf Abdullah, and aired over the prime-time Buletin Utama news programme at 8pm yesterday.

The transcript said the Malaysia Today news portal editor said he was pressured and influenced to carry the news by individuals who did not want Najib to take over as the country’s prime minister.

Najib succeeded Tun Abdullah Badawi as prime minister in April 2009.

It reported Raja Petra as saying his statutory declaration dated June 18, 2008 was based on information from these individuals, adding that a lot of people accused him of slander without actually reading his sworn statement.

In the statutory declaration (SD), Raja Petra said he received information from several individuals that the prime minister’s wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor was at the site when Altantuya was killed.

Altantuya was killed in late 2007 when Najib was then deputy prime minister.

According to the transcript, Raja Petra said he received the information from individuals linked to several politicians including opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. TV3 named them as Nik Azmi Nik Daud, John Pang and blogger Din Merican.

Raja Petra also mentioned that a military intelligence officer identified as Leftenan Kolonel Azmi Zainal Abidin also gave the same information.

The blogger, who is self-exiled in the United Kingdom, was quoted as saying that their task was to ensure Najib did not take over as PM when Abdullah stepped down.

Raja Petra also said all the individuals had promised to be witnesses if he was charged in court.

TV3 said it will carry the second part of the interview at the same news bulletin later today.