Altantuya’s Dad denies being paid to keep mum

 

(Malaysian Digest) – The father of murdered Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu has denied talk that he had been paid off by the Malaysian government in exchange for his silence, reported Malaysiakini.

Dr Setev Shaariibuu said that he was made aware of the accusations against him from a posting on video-sharing site YouTube.

“I deny this. I did not take even a single ringgit from the Malaysian government,” he said through an interpreter, at a press conference in Parliament House today.

The rumor began to circulate shortly after political consultant Abdul Razak Baginda was acquitted of all charges in connection with the murder.

The trial established that Altantuya had been shot dead and then blown up with explosives by two Malaysian Special Action Unit officers in 2006.

Setev Shaariibuu, who is in Malaysia for three days, said he had requested for a meeting with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak before but the latter had allegedly avoided it.

“The last time I wanted to meet him but he ran away.

“The people of Malaysia support me and I want to go further to ensure this case is sped up,” he said.

The bereaved father said he would not mind an opportunity to meet with Najib, but not in the latter’s capacity as prime minister.

“As a father, he can understand my grief of losing a child better,” he told reporters in Parliament today, speaking in Mongolian, which was translated by his late daughter’s childhood friend Tsoggerel Och.

“I want to say to him – I am not meeting you as the PM. I am meeting you as a father, as a man. Father to father, you can understand what I feel,” he said.

He lamented that the government has done nothing for the last six years to help end his search.

Although the Mongolian government has issued several diplomatic notes to Malaysia, “there have been no answers”.

“I don’t understand how there has been no response to official communiques between two sovereign nations,” he said.

“I want (the government and Malaysians) to solve this case as soon as possible. I want to take my girl home, to bury her in her own country.”

To fight his case he said that he may try to meet with Najib again.

“Najib ran away when I wanted to meet him last time. I want to meet him again, not as a minister but as a father and a man,” said Setev.

Setev had filed a civil suit for RM100 million against the Malaysian government in relation to his daughter’s death.  He lost the case and was ordered to pay costs, but is appealing the decision.