Material on Altantuya and Najib Altantuya sell like hot cakes
By Wong Choon Mei, Suara Keadilan
If Prime Minister Najib Razak and his supporters think the fuss surrounding the murder-and-commission case of beautiful Mongolian translator Altantuya Shaariibuu will fade now that two policemen have been found guilty and sentenced to hang for her killing, then they couldn’t be more wrong.
Judging by the way Malaysians snapped up material detailing her horrific murder by ruthless people, the 28-year old Altantuya – who was pregnant when she was shot in face and then bombed to pieces to avoid identification – is set to become part of national folklore.
Much the same as actress Marilyn Monroe – allegedly the mistress of a former president – is in US political history.
More than 1,000 packets containing translated copies of foreign news reports on the Altantuya story were sold out within minutes. The pack also contained a book plus VCD on an assault alleged to have been committed by Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Vendors who priced the pack at RM10 each had set up stall at a forum organised by Parti Keadilan Rakyat’s Bayan Baru Youth wing on Wednesday night.
PKR leaders who attended were Machang MP Saifuddin Nasution, Batu Maung assemblyman Abdul Malik Kassim, Pantai Jerejak’s Sim Tze Tzin, Batu Uban ‘s V Raventhiran and supreme council member Badrul Hisham.
The event is one of the many ceramah or political lectures lined up ahead of the Penanti by-election, which is due to polled on May 31. Nomination day is May 23.
In his speech, Saifuddin, who is also PKR election director, asked the Umno-BN government to explain why there were so few congratulatory messages from other world leaders when Najib took over as Malaysia’s sixth prime minister on Apr 3.
“Is it because of Altantuya’s articles that appeared in 19 international newspapers?” asked Saifuddin.
“If Najib has nothing to do with the murder, he should immediately sue these international newspapers that linked him to the gruesome killing,” said Badrul, the Rembau division chief.
Sue or face Altantuya at her funeral
To protect the image and reputation of the country, Badrul then issued an ultimatum to Najib. Sue and clear your name, or face the wrath of Malaysians!
He plans to organise a mammoth funeral for Altantuya, with a convoy of vehicles carrying a coffin containing her effigy from Rembau to Penanti if Najib does not begin legal proceedings before May 23.
The move is intended to shake Najib out of what is perceived to be deliberate inaction on his part. Despite protesting his innocence, huge question-marks abound in the murder trial, especially when his close associate Razak Baginda was acquitted of abetting her murderers in a court ruling that has confounded the nation and legal practitioners alike.
As a result, public disquiet has simmered and intensified over the brutal murder and the RM530 million commission Najib allegedly swung from French shipbuilder Armaris for Malaysia’s purchase of three high-tech submarines.
The conservative Parti Se-Islam Malaysia or PAS earlier this week wrote to the Council of Malay Rulers seeking the establishment of a Royal Commission to probe Najib involvement in the case.
“Reports alleging the existence of a relationship between Najib and Altantuya through the purchase of a fleet of submarines have been reported in India, Australia, Korea, Thailand, etc,” PAS said in its letter.
“These reports have been featured by no less than 19 international media organisations, and all of them depict the prime minister as a person who is corrupt and involved in abuse of power, sex scandals as well as the murder of the Mongolian model.”
PAS also warned that unless a full-scale independent inquiry was carried out immediately, not only would Malaysia’s image be tarnished, but its economy may suffer as foreign investors lose confidence in its institutions and legal system.
“This shows that Najib’s credibility as a prime minister has been openly questioned at the international level. We are also worried that if Altantuya father, Setev Shaariibuu, is unsatisfied with the Malaysian High Court, he may bring the case to the International Court of Justice.”
