Marathon session in Paris for Bala, all eyes on what was asked
By Wong Choon Mei, Malaysia Chronicle
Amid talk that Malaysian police have warned the press not to make any contact with him, private investigator P Balasubramaniam spent a marathon session debriefing French investigators in Paris on what he knows of Prime Minister Najib Razak’s role in the purchase of two high-cost submarines in 2002.
“I was told that the Malaysian police warned the editors not to have direct communication with Bala or else they could be arrested,” PKR strategic director Tian Chua told Malaysia Chronicle.
Indeed, Bala, a former Special Branch detective, may hold key information that could incriminate the Malaysian leader, his wife Rosmah Mansor, their friend Razak Baginda and a murdered Mongolian translator Altantuya Shaariibuu in the French corruption probe.
Bala is the first Malaysian witness to be called to give his statement to Parisian police. Accompanied by his lawyer, Manjit Singh Dhillon, he went for his 2pm meeting with them at the Direction Centrale de la Police in Nanterre Prefecture.
However, until 6pm Paris time, when most offices have closed for the day, Bala was inside the Direction Centrale giving his statement. All eyes are now on what had transpired during those long hours. His lawyer is expected to issue a press statement later in the day.
