The second statutory declaration (SD) of private investigator (PI) P Balasubramaniam was hastily drafted as part of an effort to thwart a planned confession on the Altantuya murder organised by politicians from both sides of the divide.
Bala made his second SD immediately after withdrawing his earlier accusation linking Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu, businessperson Deepak Jaikishan claims.
The first SD, Deepak said, was to set the table before one of the individuals involved in the murder would confess to it and expose who had instructed the murder.
However, he added, the personalities named in the first SD had moved in to prevent that from happening.
The following is an excerpt from Deepak's press conference on the matter in Kuala Lumpur yesterday evening:
Do you know who ordered the Altantuya killing?
No, no, no. I was not involved. I was not aware of what happened on that day. My involvement came at a point when PI Bala made the (first) SD. And that evening I was given a call to try and help resolve this problem.
As I mentioned earlier, it was not the SD that was of concern to these people, the SD didn't matter. But the repercussions from the SD - there were people involved in the actual act, one of these persons was going to come out and admit that he was involved and who had instructed him.
They were worried of this repercussion because they knew this was the next stage of the first SD. Because of the first SD, the pact among these people (Umno factions) would have broken up.
Someone named in the SD will come out to confess?
No, one of the people involved in the Altantuya incident itself was going to come out and confess as a result of the SD.
Why?
It was a concentrated attempt, the SD was not just about the opposition (to get at the government)...
Why would the SD trigger such a response?
Because there was a concentrated effort. There were two factions here - you had Bala sitting down with (opposition leader) Anwar (Ibrahim) and you had another faction that didn't want the people named in the first SD to come to power.
They were determined, although they were from different sides, to work together to achieve this and both had the power to do so. Hence the absolute concern.
The following is an excerpt from Deepak's press conference on the matter in Kuala Lumpur yesterday evening:
Do you know who ordered the Altantuya killing?
No, no, no. I was not involved. I was not aware of what happened on that day. My involvement came at a point when PI Bala made the (first) SD. And that evening I was given a call to try and help resolve this problem.
As I mentioned earlier, it was not the SD that was of concern to these people, the SD didn't matter. But the repercussions from the SD - there were people involved in the actual act, one of these persons was going to come out and admit that he was involved and who had instructed him.
They were worried of this repercussion because they knew this was the next stage of the first SD. Because of the first SD, the pact among these people (Umno factions) would have broken up.
Someone named in the SD will come out to confess?
No, one of the people involved in the Altantuya incident itself was going to come out and confess as a result of the SD.
Why?
It was a concentrated attempt, the SD was not just about the opposition (to get at the government)...
Why would the SD trigger such a response?
Because there was a concentrated effort. There were two factions here - you had Bala sitting down with (opposition leader) Anwar (Ibrahim) and you had another faction that didn't want the people named in the first SD to come to power.They were determined, although they were from different sides, to work together to achieve this and both had the power to do so. Hence the absolute concern.
And those who pushed the second SD were those wanting to ensure Najib becomes prime minister?
Yes. I think the only reason I got involved in helping with thesecond SD was to protect the interests of Najib. There is no other logical reason, is there?
What other information do you have to help authorities to solve the case?
Well, I think if the authorities are serious about solving it, they have all the evidence already. It's whether they want to or not. As you are well aware, my involvement was when the second SD came in, not before that.
How did you know someone was going to come out to confess after first SD?
It was from the group itself (named in the first SD). They were aware. They were a very formidable group and had very credible information coming in.
You received this information from "the group"?
Yes. Hence the hurry. The second SD was done the very same day (when it was made public).
Although no confession materialised after the second SD, however, Balasubramaniamre-emerged in 2009 in a series of YouTubevideos, claiming that he made the second SD only after being offered RM5 million by Deepak, an amount that was never honoured in full.
Deepak had since claimed that he merely facilitated the meeting between Balasubramaniam and the parties named in the first SD, and it was they who made such promises and therefore it was contingent upon them to fulfill those promises and not him.
Yes. I think the only reason I got involved in helping with thesecond SD was to protect the interests of Najib. There is no other logical reason, is there?
What other information do you have to help authorities to solve the case?
Well, I think if the authorities are serious about solving it, they have all the evidence already. It's whether they want to or not. As you are well aware, my involvement was when the second SD came in, not before that.
How did you know someone was going to come out to confess after first SD?
It was from the group itself (named in the first SD). They were aware. They were a very formidable group and had very credible information coming in.
You received this information from "the group"?
Yes. Hence the hurry. The second SD was done the very same day (when it was made public).
Although no confession materialised after the second SD, however, Balasubramaniamre-emerged in 2009 in a series of YouTubevideos, claiming that he made the second SD only after being offered RM5 million by Deepak, an amount that was never honoured in full.Deepak had since claimed that he merely facilitated the meeting between Balasubramaniam and the parties named in the first SD, and it was they who made such promises and therefore it was contingent upon them to fulfill those promises and not him.
A fallout with Najib's family
Since then, Deepak has admitted to a fallout with Najib's family, claiming that several of his business projects with the government had been terminated.
"All this while I have taken a platform denying my involvement, but it is a stigma on me... until the Altantuya matter is resolved and justice is given to her, I don't think this stigma will leave me. It’s been a very tough two years for me from the time this thing started.
"I won't say I'm a very religious man, but I am a spiritual person. I believe the reason why the businesses I'm involved in is not succeeding is because of my involvement in hiding the Altantuya matter, of concealing whatever I know about it, so I wish to put it out in the open.
"I want to ask for forgiveness, I have minimal involvement (in the case) and I want to cleanse myself of this," he said.
Asked why he thought Altantuya (right) had yet to receive justice even though her killers had already been convicted, he replied: "Whoever actually killed her, who actually instructed her killing, should be responsible. They must take the responsibility."
Since then, Deepak has admitted to a fallout with Najib's family, claiming that several of his business projects with the government had been terminated.
"All this while I have taken a platform denying my involvement, but it is a stigma on me... until the Altantuya matter is resolved and justice is given to her, I don't think this stigma will leave me. It’s been a very tough two years for me from the time this thing started.
"I won't say I'm a very religious man, but I am a spiritual person. I believe the reason why the businesses I'm involved in is not succeeding is because of my involvement in hiding the Altantuya matter, of concealing whatever I know about it, so I wish to put it out in the open.
"I want to ask for forgiveness, I have minimal involvement (in the case) and I want to cleanse myself of this," he said.
Asked why he thought Altantuya (right) had yet to receive justice even though her killers had already been convicted, he replied: "Whoever actually killed her, who actually instructed her killing, should be responsible. They must take the responsibility."
However, Deepak said he did not know who was responsible.
Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar, bodyguards in an elite police unit, were both sentenced to death on April 9, 2009, by the Shah Alam High Court for the 2006 murder of Altantuya, who was shot to death and her body blown up with military-grade C4 explosives.
High Court judge Mohd Zaki Md Yasin, in his 70-page written judgment on the case, had noted that the motive of the murder was not essential to the trial.
While Azilah testified on the witness stand that he was not at the crime scene at the time of the alleged incident, Sirul Azhar, in his elaborate, unsworn statement, described how he was made "ascapegoat".
The duo has appealed their death sentence, but the hearing of their case at the Court of Appeal has beenrepeatedly put off.
Another accused, Abdul Razak Baginda (left in photo), a close associate of Najib and alleged lover of Altantuya, was acquitted without his defence called.
Altantuya is said to have met Abdul Razak in her role as an interpreter in a RM7.3 billion deal to purchase two Scorpene submarines from French defence company DCNS, a deal in which Abdul Razak had a hand in facilitating.
Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar, bodyguards in an elite police unit, were both sentenced to death on April 9, 2009, by the Shah Alam High Court for the 2006 murder of Altantuya, who was shot to death and her body blown up with military-grade C4 explosives.
High Court judge Mohd Zaki Md Yasin, in his 70-page written judgment on the case, had noted that the motive of the murder was not essential to the trial.
While Azilah testified on the witness stand that he was not at the crime scene at the time of the alleged incident, Sirul Azhar, in his elaborate, unsworn statement, described how he was made "ascapegoat".
The duo has appealed their death sentence, but the hearing of their case at the Court of Appeal has beenrepeatedly put off.Another accused, Abdul Razak Baginda (left in photo), a close associate of Najib and alleged lover of Altantuya, was acquitted without his defence called.
Altantuya is said to have met Abdul Razak in her role as an interpreter in a RM7.3 billion deal to purchase two Scorpene submarines from French defence company DCNS, a deal in which Abdul Razak had a hand in facilitating.
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