Altantuya immigration records kept secret because of trial

PARLIAMENT Murdered Mongolian national Altantuya Shaaribu's immigration records were not revealed to the public for eight years because her death was on trial, Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said.

"The records became trial documents and there was no need to reveal it to the public for as long as the case was on trial due to concerns that it would disrupt the case.

"It was only revealed after the trial ended in the Federal Court," Zahid, who is also deputy prime minister. said in a parliamentary written reply last Thursday.

He was responding to a question from Gooi Hsiao Leung (PKR-Alor Setar) on why the Home Ministry waited until December 2015 before confirming that Altantuya's immigration records were not erased.

The Altantuya murder, which occurred in 2006, saw Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak - who was then deputy prime minister and defence minister - being accused of involvement in Altantuya’s murder.

His close associate Abdul Razak Baginda, who admitted to having an affair with Altantuya, was charged with abetting the murder but was later acquitted without his defence being called.

The police, meanwhile, have cleared Najib of any wrongdoing and Najib was also reported to have sworn his innocence in the name of God.

Allegations emerged at Razak's trial

The confirmation by Zahid came more than eight years after Altantuya's father Setev Shaariibuu queried about the missing entry records.

The allegations first emerged during the trial of Razak in June 2007, based on the testimony by Uuriintuya Gal-Ochir, a friend of Altantuya.

This is what the late Karpal Singh told reporters at the time: "It is a very pertinent and significant issue because if any attempt was made to show that Altantuya never entered the country and therefore could not have been murdered, then I think the police ought to investigate why."

The case had been further linked to Malaysia’s procurement of two French Scorpene submarines, which Razak’s firm was tasked with purchasing and maintaining.

Former police commando Sirul Azhar Umar was convicted of Altantuya's murder, and had been sentenced to death.

He fled to Australia, where the Malaysian government is currently trying to extradite him.

However, Australian law dictates that a person facing the death penalty in his or her home country cannot be sent back to face prosecution -Mkini