Kit Siang barking up wrong tree over motive for Altantuya murder, says IGP
(The Malaysian Insider) – The nation’s top cop today rebutted allegations of dereliction of duty by veteran DAP leader Lim Kit Siang in the murder case of Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu, saying it was for the judiciary, not the police, to answer why a motive was not established in court.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar told Malaysiakini that the case had gone through three levels of hearings, at the High Court, Court of Appeals and Federal Court.
“Never during any of these trials did the court find that there had been a serious omission of responsibility by the police,” Khalid told Malaysiakini.
“Who would be the best party to rule on dereliction of duty on the part of the police, if not the judges.”
Lim, the Gelang Patah MP, said in a statement yesterday that although the courts did not establish a motive for Altantuya’s murder, Khalid had a duty to find out why two former elite policemen had killed her.
Lim said the least a “responsible and conscientious” IGP should do after the completion of the murder trial would be to launch a thorough inquiry to ascertain why Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar and former Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri murdered Altantuya in 2006.
However, Khalid said that Lim was barking up the wrong tree.
“As to why a motive was not established in court, that question is for the judiciary to answer and not the police,” Khalid said.
He said there have been cited murder cases where motive had not been necessary to secure a conviction.
“In this regard, I believe Lim is directing his guns at the wrong target,” he said, adding that the highest court in Malaysia had made its decision on the case and there was nothing more to add.
“It is not the police’s role to question the prosecutor or courts for not delving into the motive during the hearing process.”
