Anwar: Sub probe will cast light on Altantuya murder

Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has said that an ongoing French investigation on alleged corruption into the purchase of two Scorpene submarines by Malaysia may cast light on the brutal murder of aspiring model and translator Altantuya Sharibuu.

“The case is closed in Malaysia, but the French government has appointed two independent judges to investigate the question of corruption in the submarine case.

“I believe that when this case is brought up, corruption involving Umno leaders and the case of Altantuya Sharibuu’s murder will be exposed,” he told some 1,500 people at a ceramah in Shah Alam last night.

Najib will not be able to sleep well, he added cheekily, to the amusement of the crowd.

Altantuya, who had travelled with Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s confidant Abdul Razak Baginda as an interpreter to France on several occasions in connection with the submarine purchase, was found dead in October 2006.

She was shot twice before being blown up with C4 explosives on a trip to Malaysia, which according to her murder trial, was to meet with with Abdul Razak.

Two special action unit officers namely chief inspector Azilah Hadri and corporal Sirul Azhar Umar, attached to the premier’s office as bodyguards, have been sentenced to death for the murder while Abdul Razak was acquitted of abetting them in the act.

RM43bil figure disputed

On a separate matter, Anwar, who is also PKR supremo, disputed Najib’s statement that writing off the PTPTN loan for students wouldcost the government RM43 billion.

“This amount includes the interest that students are charged. I have calculated that without the interest, this amount will be much less,” he claimed.

Dismissing that writing off the debt would bankrupt the government, Anwar said Turkey’s new government managed to implement free tertiary education within three years and Malaysia could pull it off within a year.

Anwar, who expressed confidence that Pakatan can improve its performance in the state if the election is free and fair, urged supporters to make the state into its stronghold.

“Therefore the people must have a monstrous show of force that we reject cheating in the elections,” he said, calling on them to participate in the April 28 Bersih 3.0 rally to demand for free and fair elections.

Also present at the 25th anniversary celebration of Shah Alam PAS were PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu, Selangor PAS commissioner Dr Abdul Rani Osman, Selangor PAS deputy commissioner Khalid Samad and DAP national publicity chief Tony Pua.

‘PAS and PKR have Malays, too’

Speaking to the largely Malay crowd, Mohamad, or more fondly known as Mat Sabu, ripped into Umno’s claim that Malays would be threatened if the party was defeated.

“Umno says if BN loses, who will defend the Malays?” he said in a mock baby tone.

Any loss for Umno, he added, would be a gain for PAS or PKR, most of whom comprised of Malay candidates.

The 25th anniversary celebration of Shah Alam PAS last night, themed ‘Defending Selangor’, coincides with the fourth anniversary of Pakatan Rakyat’s rule in the state.

The Shah Alam parliamentary constituency is presently held by PAS’ Khalid, who won with a 9,314-vote majority in the 2008 general election, a huge swing from 2004's 13,410-vote majority in favour of BN.