Now the 1MDB truth is going to emerge
Yes, in the not too distant future we will know the answer. And my hope is that at the end of the trial I can tell my critics and detractors that I was right and they were wrong. Most importantly, I will be able to tell Najib and Rosmah that I may have wronged them in 2008, but I have already repaid them in full by standing beside them to defend them on the RM2.6 billion and 1MDB allegation.
NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin
In 2008, a friend I had known for 56 years since I was 13 (which means I have known him longer than I have known my wife) guaranteed me that his information is 100% accurate. And that information is Najib Tun Razak is involved in Altantuya Shaariibuu’s murder while Rosmah Mansor was at the scene of the crime the night of the murder.
My wife, who was there with me during the discussion, cautioned me to not act on that information because there is no way of verifying it other than the mere word of this friend. Most of you, of course, know who this friend is because I have mentioned his name many times before.
So, I checked out this story with two people I trusted (at least at that time) — Anwar Ibrahim and Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah — and they both confirmed the information is true. Only then did I act on it — which was the SD that I signed in June 2008.
Najib’s 1MDB trial has finally started and we await the outcome with bated breath
When I was detained by the Special Branch in September 2008, they showed me the evidence that Rosmah was actually somewhere else the night of Altantuya’s murder. Hence, for sure, Rosmah was not at the scene of the crime. In short, Rosmah had an air-tight alibi.
Even if I may have had doubts about the Malaysian Special Branch, this was later proven by the French police report that I read a few years later. According to the French police, Altantuya was never involved in the Scorpene submarine negotiations, as was widely believed, and neither was she acting as an interpreter. All those stories regarding Altantuya’s involvement in the submarine contract were false.
In 2015, the 1MDB issue exploded. Someone approached me and asked whether I would like to join ‘Team Mahathir’ to attack Najib on the 1MDB issue. Two days later, another person approached me and asked whether I would like to join ‘Team Najib’ to fend off Mahathir’s attacks.
Yes, which one? Join ‘Team Mahathir’ and attack Najib or join ‘Team Najib’ and help defend him? Which team do I choose to join?
Okay, first of all, is Najib really guilty of stealing RM2.6 billion of 1MDB’s money as alleged?
I did not want to make the same mistake I made in 2008. So I checked out the story with a person I knew and trusted, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Did Najib steal RM2.6 billion of 1MDB’s money? I asked Zahid. Or did the money really come from the Arabs?
Zahid assured me he had gone to Saudi Arabia to meet the donor and has seen the documents. So, yes, the money came from the Arabs and was not stolen from 1MDB.
Zahid assured me he met the donor in Saudi Arabia and has seen the documents
With that I chose to join Team Najib and help defend him from the false allegation that he stole the RM2.6 billion from 1MDB. I made the wrong decision in 2008 so this time I can make up for the wrong I did Najib by helping to defend him on the RM2.6 billion allegation.
It is, therefore, in my interest to see the outcome of the 1MDB trial that has just started. Was I wrong in joining Team Najib? Was Zahid Hamidi wrong? Did Zahid Hamidi lie to me?
Yes, in the not too distant future we will know the answer. And my hope is that at the end of the trial I can tell my critics and detractors that I was right and they were wrong. Most importantly, I will be able to tell Najib and Rosmah that I may have wronged them in 2008, but I have already repaid them in full by standing beside them to defend them on the RM2.6 billion and 1MDB allegation.
