Najib: Why didn’t Dr M ask about Altantuya then?
I know nothing about it says PM as he declares ‘end of story’ and questions Mahathir’s motives.
(Free Malaysia Today) – In his counter-attack against Dr Mahathir Mohamad and the Opposition, Najib Razak answered his critics on the Altantuya murder case by asking why “veteran leaders who now insist on bringing it up” did not do so when the issue erupted eight years ago.
He said the “veteran leaders” now attacking him would still have been able to verify the allegations at that time, eight years ago. “Why now?” he said.
Although he did not name Dr Mahathir, his jibe was clearly aimed at the former prime minister when he said: “We all know that if veteran leaders insist on bringing it up, even in passing, it would automatically cause the issue to be resurrected once again.”
Dr Mahathir in recent weeks has championed the cause of Sirul Azhar Umar, one of the convicted killers, who fled to Australia after being condemned to death, and asked for the case to be reopened, in order to find out who gave the order for the murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu, a Mongolian national linked to the US$2bn purchase of French-built submarines for the Navy.
Sirul has asserted that he was merely following orders when he and former Chief Insp Azilah Hadri shot the woman and blew up her body with military-grade explosives in the jungle near Subang in 2006.
Najib said he found it disturbing that the Altantuya issue had been brought up again.
He said the “influential individuals” now attacking him had many resources.
“When the issue erupted, I believe they would still have been able to verify the validity of the allegations. If they believed this to be true, why did they not raise it when the issue erupted 8 years ago? Why now?”
“Some have said that they are only questioning the issue now as it has turned into a matter of life and death of those who have been convicted. But this case has been tried in the courts, with a clear verdict and punishment meted out. Are they disputing the very judicial system that they put in place?”
Najib said the Altantuya issue became hot “at a time when I was PM in waiting”, using a phrase that Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim popularised about himself after the 2008 elections.
He said the Opposition “needed a way to prevent me from advancing” and they had “tried to connect the dots” to him because the two bodyguards had worked for him, and co-accused Razak Baginda was “a friend and associate”.
