PROLOGUE
The following is the
report in verbatim:
“My name is Shaariibuu Altantuya. I came from Mongolia to see my boyfriend. The I am here is want to see my boyfriend.
To see you lover is nothing criminal rigth? Yes I was in shock I wrote some stupid letters to him where I said I kill myself I want help.
Yes I try to blackmail him. Maybe it’s my fault but now I really understand he doesn’t loves me anymore and I need to stop that I asked money from him to go back. how he promised to me.
He lied to me to help and ruin my life. I came to KL to see him to face to face and ask why acting like that. Maybe rich person and he got family doin this.
But when I come I did something stupid I write letter where I said kill myself and things like that. But now he got letters of mine and trying to scare me or kill me. He hide some Indian guys and always follow me.
They staying outside of my hotel at hotel Malaya Jalan Hang Lekiu and coming to my room knocking the door.
What going on between Mr Razak Baginda and me its I hope our problem rigth. In life many times happened this kind of situation. But he trying now to scare me to put to jail. He got connection in government. He got connection in police and scaring me.
For 2 and half years I been his lover. He promise so that the why I came here. But now he got fake papers with my signature and dere not my passport number. He trying to put me to jail.
Of course his rich men. He can do that. But now life is in danger Im really scared to even go out. Because he have my letters and all proof if I die or catch by police or go to jail they can show the papers.
Only reason I’m here because he ruined my life with lies. But now he even trying to sent me away with his friends and trying to scare me and kill me. Maybe I did wrong and blackmailed him but now he trying to kill me.
I want to go back safely. Because of this mans, I delay my ticket and now I’m in trouble. I connected to embassy of Mongolia in Hong Kong its closes Embassy to KL.
I told all story. I got friend here to help me but he said I need to be carefull because his rich man. Can everything do to me. Now he could easyly kill me or put to jail and says I did write letters. I blackmailed him. So all proofness on my case can ask from embassy in Honk Kong or hotel where I stay.
Its hotel Malaya. One of the Indian man is Suraj, another is Bala. They saying they protect the boss. If they do job why they follow me and knocking my door at 5am at morning and acting like friend.
Why they asking me to pay money and asking to marry that Indian guy.
They follow me from my hotel outside to any place I go. If they protect the boss why they saying to my pir that they can kill me?
That Indian guy told me Mr Razak is rich man, he knows many people here so can easyly put me to jail. They say Malaysia is different from Mongolia and said they know people in police so can easy get me to jail.
If Malaysia law goes like that I cant complane. But true is I didnt nothing to him. Im just normal girl trying to meet my lover who lied to me and promised many things but now want to put me to jail or kill...
If I made mistake Ill never do again. But if something happened to me please check that person.”
When and how did it all start?
With the unfortunate death of Mongolian, Altantuya Shariibuu, in October of 2006.
Altantuya Shariibuu, translator and interpreter, assisting in negotiation of billion dollars defense contract?
From the above police report be the judge and decide, and on a host of other things.
It must be said here whatever or whoever she was, there is no concrete affirmation, she did not deserve to die the way she did. I am not here to demean nor tarnish her reputation. It is not my intention.
May her soul rest in peace.
Altantuya disappeared on the night of 19 October 2006.
By 8 November 2006 police investigations into Altantuya's disappearance, in response to a police report made by her sister and cousin, led to her body from information with the arrest of three police officers and a "
prominent political analyst attached with a politically well-connected think-tank" detained.
A week later, two police officers were formally charged for the murder and a day later with
Razak Baginda abetting the murder.
By this time it was already common knowledge that Razak Baginda was a close associate of PM Datuk Seri Najib and that gave the trial a high profile.
Now, the so called Scorpene "corruption scandal" and it's intended effect, which I contend is politically motivated, is the subject of this post. Hence I will not delve into the merits or demerits of the case, only what is pertinent.
The trial began in June of 2007, Razak Baginda
acquitted in November of 2008 and the two police officers ordered to enter their defence and found
guilty of the murder in April 2009.
During the course of the trial,
the deceased in her police report admitted blackmailing, accused Razak Baginda.
US 500,000.00 was an amount as
testified by prosecution witness P. Balasubramaniam, a private investigator hired by Razak Baginda himself.
PI Bala, as he became to be notoriously known, would play a bigger role in the Altantuya affair, pun unintended, when he
disclosed at a press conference in July 2008 of having made a statutory declaration or SD, linking Deputy PM (at the time) Datuk Seri Najib to Altantuya.
It is at this point that all the past and present accusations levelled at Datuk Seri Najib being "involved" in the murder had it's origin all because it was by way of a statutory declaration.
Like an SMS from Datuk Seri Najib to Razak Baginda, introducing Altantuya to Razak Baginda and of having sexual relations with the deceased. More importantly the emergence of the submarines and commission.
But scrutinising closely PI Bala's SD one can easily and readily conclude it to be manifestly false. It was contrived.
Hardly surprising the very next day PI Bala
retracted his SD with another SD and thence made a disappearing act till this day.
PI Bala, however, was not the first person with the SD modus operandi to link Datuk Seri Najib to the murder.
Rewind only a month earlier in June of 2008, it was from another runaway, prominent blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin who had made an even more
unbelievable SD, indirectly implicating Datuk Seri Najib, by placing Datin Seri Rosmah at the scene of the crime.
Similarly RPK, as he is popularly known, would make a retraction of sorts "
RPK: I don't believe Najib, Rosmah involved in Altantuya murder" to
admit it to be unbelievable.
The damage had been done, mission accomplished. It would remain till this day.
Not a Scorpene scandal, a Najib-Altantuya murder scandal.
Can the submarines and commissions surfacing, as a result of the Altantuya case, solely be attributed to PI Bala or RPK?
Who was actually the first to specifically say "commissions" for submarines and directly implicate Datuk Seri Najib (although Lim Kit Siang had raised the issue of "commission", duly answered, in parliament on 6 December 2006) in the Altantuya murder?
You guessed it, Anwar Ibrahim.
Even before the trial could begin and barely two months after charges were brought, it was Anwar Ibrahim on 10 January 2007 who specifically said, "commission", of Euro 114 million.
To specifically say, commissions for Scorpene submarines.
Susan Loone
here attributed to Malaysiakini, a link
here attributed to Harakah and the original Harakah link
here which cannot be found but Google cached "
Kes Altantuya, Anwar desak Najib disiasat" datelined 10 January 2007 with trademark Anwar lies -
Dalam sidang akhbarnya di kediaman beliau sebentar tadi, Anwar yang juga bekas TPM, berkata pihaknya mempunyai beberapa bukti dan maklumat bagaimana Altantuya dikaitkan dengan urusniaga pembelian kapal selam yang diuruskan oleh kroni rapat Najib, Abdul Razak Baginda
Katanya, adalah menjadi tanggungjawab kerajaan untuk memastikan semua keraguan yang timbul khusus mengenai pembabitan Najib dalam kes rasuah yang ada kaitan dengan Razak Baginda diperjelaskan segera.
"Persoalan timbul berkisar kepada peranan Altantuya dalam pembelian kapal selam Scorpene dan Agosta dari Perancis oleh Kerajaan Malaysia dalam perjanjian bernilai hampir 1 billion euro (RM4.6 billion).
Pembayaran komisen berjumlah 114 juta euro (RM530 juta) nyata sekali teramat mahal dan rakyat berhak mengetahui siapakah sebenarnya mendapat 'durian runtuh' itu, katanya"
Don't see obvious lies? If you have "bukti dan maklumat" why wait for the government? Just go ahead and expose "bukti dan maklumat" like PI Bala or RPK.
And what "kes rasuah" is Anwar talking about?
Who was beside PI Bala when he made that SD? Anwar Ibrahim, of course.
Anwar Ibrahim shaking hands with PI Bala, "
Anwar: Proof on Najib soon" when "
taking questions from reporters at the press conference where private investigator P. Balasubramaniam – once hired by Abdul Razak Baginda – released a statutory declaration that alleged Najib’s involvement with Altantuya".
One and a half years ago "mempunyai beberapa bukti dan maklumat" but coming out with zilch now singing a same song "proof on Najib soon", vintage Anwar Ibrahim.
And why did RPK make that SD only to retract it some years later?
When RPK admitted the SD as unbelievable - "
He (RPK)
claimed that several politicians close to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had put pressure on him to do what he did to prevent Najib from becoming Prime Minister."
Anwar again.
"
Statement from Din Merican on RPK TV3 Interview" -
BUT it is a fact that Raja Petra called me to seek confirmation from Anwar Ibrahim regarding the reliability of a certain military intelligence officer. When I received confirmation from the PKR de facto leader, I relayed it to Raja Petra. That was all to the whole matter.–Din Merican
Anwar Ibrahim time and again.
What is most significant is the year these SDs were made - 2008.
The year that Anwar proclaimed, make that lied, that he would be taking over the federal government, while not even a member of parliament then.
As early as April of 2008, just after the "tsunami" that resulted in the weakest of Barisan Nasional goverments under an even weaker prime minister, Tun Abdullah Badawi, "
Anwar: Pakatan Rakyat can take over Fed Govt by Sept 16".
I hasten to venture were PI Bala and RPK taken in by that lie and emboldened to make the SDs, which clearly impugns to discredit Datuk Seri Najib in the most injurious manner, truly believing Anwar Ibrahim would be Prime Minister by 16 September?
ENTER SUARAM
16 September came and went, no change of government and by now Anwar is officially opposition leader of parliament and the grand 916 proclamation is officially a lie.
While there was no change in government there was to be a change of prime ministers, Tun Abdullah Badawi thanks to his incompetent leadership, announced that he would be
hand over the premiership to Datuk Seri Najib.
Anwar Ibrahim, the SDs of PI Bala and RPK attempts to bring down Datuk Seri Najib had failed.
Anwar had even posted a
letter on his website purportedly endorsed by all Pakatan Rakyat MPs to His Majesty the King, to postpone the appointment in the very final days of affirming Datuk Seri Najib as prime minister of Malaysia.
Datuk Seri Najib
assumed office of prime minister on 3 April 2009.
I mentioned that the commission issue had been raised and duly answered in parliament 2006.
There were more clarifications, Bernama had this
report in April 2007 and it was again clarified in parliament by Datuk Seri Najib, as
reported by Malaysiakini in 2008.
Everyone I am sure would have the perception that the Euro 114 million payment to Perimekar is a single payment, a perception created by the opposition.
From the same Malaysiakini report -
"Najib berkata nilai kontrak itu, EURO114.96 juta dibayar secara berperingkat mengikut kemajuan projek kapal selam dan sehingga kini EURO95.54 juta (83.11 peratus) dibayar kepada syarikat itu.
Now, many goverment to government bilateral agreements involve negotiations to resolve other important issues unrelated to the agreement.
For example, a couple of months before the purchase was officially announced in June 2002, this Pakistani defense
forum on the submarine purchase, posted various news reports and alludes to landing rights for Malaysian Airlines.
Whether it is Indonesian maids, FDIs, or arms purchases, there are most often than not, other confidential negotiations and conditions to be fulfilled with every agreement signed.
News reports at the forum is interesting in more ways than one apart from alluding to landing rights -
Government sources, however, told AFP that the defence ministry last month signed a letter of agreement with DCN's Malaysian agent, the Perimekar company, to buy three subs.
The firm has been given three months to finalise details of the contract, which could involve a spin-off deal to give Malaysia Airlines more landing rights in Paris, the sources said.
From that, one may infer that Perimekar was formed in 1999 by Razak Baginda to be the Malaysian agent for DCN.
Most importantly this is an aspect of the Scorpene purchase the opposition will conveniently forget to disclose, reports Malaysiakini, "
Malaysia seals RM3.7 bln maiden deal to buy French submarines" -
Under the deal, he said France would buy RM819 million (230 million euro) worth of Malaysian palmoil, RM327 million (92 million euro) of other commodities, and invest RM491 million (138 million euro) for training and technology transfer to local firms here.
"Forex savings is 50 percent. This is the first time we've undertaken a contract in which the foreign exchange savings is as much as 50 percent."
I am sure not many are aware of this.
Or those who are aware, the opposition at the very least, must have then found it difficult to exploit the Scorpene purchase for their agenda.
However, prime minister Datuk Seri Najib would be challenged again, on the quiet.
Out of the blues, enter SUARAM.
SUARAM lies and deceit had it's early beginnings when it applied for an investigation in France alleging corruption of the Scorpene purchase in November 2009,
Kua Kia Soong -
Since Suaram lodged its complaint with the French courts for a judicial review of the Scorpene contract in November 2009, the French prosecutors have certainly been busy with their investigations.
Kua Kia Soong's initial
reason for to seek help from, presently termed complaint, to French courts -
Human rights group Suaram has sought help from the French courts to probe allegations that Malaysia’s purchase of two submarines from France is linked to the 2006 murder of Mongolian beauty Altantuyaa Shaariibu.
Suaram director Dr Kua Kia Soong said they are seeking justice for Altantuya with the French court "since the Malaysian courts have failed to shed light on her grisly murder.
But SUARAM's own lawyer made this clarification, "
Lawyer: Submarine probe has nothing to do with Altantuya" -
“The only thing the French authorities will look into is the corruption or commission allegedly paid by DCN,” said Joseph Breham at a press conference organised by Suaram here.
He added that the murder of the Mongolian woman is beyond the jurisdiction of the French authorities.
The Najib/Altantuya "link" is resurrected. The "link" must be perpetuated.
SUARAM has been lying ever since.
Statements with the likes of Kua, "
Paris Papers: Perimekar just a travel agency" -
"Suaram lodged its complaint with the French courts for a judicial review of the Scorpene contract in November 2009
, the French prosecutors have certainly been busy with their investigations."
Another perception - there is an on going court case in France.
There is
NO on going court case.
It is in an investigation stage before two juge d’instruction or investigating magistrates Roger Le Loire and Serge Tournaire.
The French judicial system includes specialist judges, known as juges d’instruction (investigating judges), who oversee investigations into the more serious and complex offences. The process is known as the information judiciaire (judicial investigation).
Cases are referred to the juge d’instruction by the public prosecutor or by a victim who wishes to bring a civil claim for damages within criminal proceedings."
Source "The Judiciary in France"
Law Commission of New Zealand on "
French Criminal Procedure" has this,
Upon becoming aware of an offence, the police are required to notify the procureur, although in practice they do not always do so. The victim might, however, take the matter to a juge d’instruction in the event of the police or the procureur not proceeding to investigate.
Once the procureur is notified of an offence, he or she is responsible for directing the activities of the police, overseeing any police detention and interrogation of suspects held in garde à vue, deciding whether the investigation should proceed, or whether an alternative to prosecution (such as mediation) is appropriate. In a minority of cases (just 4%) the procureur refers the case to the juge d’instruction, who possesses wider powers of investigation
(Or) In the case of a crime the involvement of a juge d’instruction is mandatory, whereas they are only involved in the investigation of a délit at the request of the procureur, or if it is a flagrant délit.
So, either SUARAM sought help or made a complaint which was acted/not acted upon by the
procureur (prosecutor), alleged criminal activity made directly to the
juges d’instruction (investigating judges) or it was mandatory, it is the two juge d’instruction who are investigating.
Whatever the the case may be, juxtaposing Kua Kia Soong's initial statement of 2010 to his present statement, it is manifestly false and misleading. A lie.
More from Kua -
Negotiations on the submarine contract started in 1999. At the time, French defence giant DCN had this view of Perimekar:
“The amount to be paid to Perimekar is overvalued. It is not worth it… They are never more than a travel agency… The price is inflated and their support function is very vague… Yes, that company created unfounded wealth for its shareholders.”
But this system was created by the Malaysian government so DCN had no choice.
Before 2002, when new laws in France and the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) Convention came into force to make bribing of foreign officials a crime, money used to bribe foreign officials was even tax deductible. Such is the nature of arms deals all over the world.
DCN former finance director Gerarde Philippe Maneyas had made a claim for 32 million euros (RM127 million) allegedly used to bribe Malaysian officials for purchase of the Scorpenes.
The budget minister had questioned such a large bribe although he did eventually authorise the tax break.
See how Kua's statement contradicts? "
The amount to be paid to Perimekar is overvalued" meaning not paid but "
Yes, that company created unfounded wealth for its shareholders”
Then, whether by design or ignorance, another misleading statement, Kua says "
Gerarde Philippe Maneyas had made a claim for 32 million euros" and "
The budget minister had questioned such a large bribe although he did eventually authorise the tax break."
But he does not say precisely when the "bribery" expense was claimed, as a tax break.
You see, the law referred to by Kua was already incorporated into the French criminal code in June 2000 and
not 2002.
2002 would lend truth to Kua's lie because the "bribery" expense must only have been claimed before 30 June 2000 after which it would be deemed illegal and could not be claimed as a tax break.
Also, since negotiations had begun in 1999 according to Kua it would been ridiculous for DCN to have made any "bribe" at a negotiation stage.
The adoption by France of Act No. 2000-595 of 30 June 2000 amending the Criminal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure with regard to the fight against corruption (subsequently referred to as the “Act of 30 June 2000”) was a milestone in the efforts made by the French authorities to combat bribery in international business transactions. Previously, French law prosecuted only active and passive bribery involving French persons entrusted with public authority, charged with a public service mission or holding an elected office (Articles 433-1 and 432-11 of the Criminal Code). Wher international business transactions were concerned, since the 1970s the French government, followed by most of its European counterparts and other OECD countries, tolerated bribes, officially known as commissions or “exceptional commercial expenses”, and their deduction for tax purposes, if they were paid to a foreign public official. Source OECD, "FRANCE: PHASE 2 REPORT ON THE APPLICATION OF THE CONVENTION ON COMBATING BRIBERY OF FOREIGN PUBLIC OFFICIALS IN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS AND THE 1997 RECOMMENDATION ON COMBATING BRIBERY IN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS."
And also tripping on his web of lies, Kua says negotiations had began in 1999 and as Datuk Seri Najib was Minister of Education at the time becoming MINDEF Minister only in 2000, this "bribery" expense cannot be linked to Datuk Seri Najib.
Kua Kia Soong had said that Suaram had lodged the complaint in 2009 but Cynthia Gabriel in Businessweek after Kua broke the news "
did not say why the complaint was filed only now, eight years after the deal was made."
Two things, 2009 or 2010 and
why?
Who is telling a lie. Does not matter. Kua, Cynthia and SUARAM by extension are not averse to lies.
"
Why" is the more important question.
The International news media has given SUARAM's complaint scant attention, apart from a few in France. Even then, almost all would be tagged to Altantuya, "
La face cachée de ce contrat d’armement est apparue lors de l’enquête menée en Malaisie sur l’assassinat, en octobre 2006, d’Altantuya Shaaribuu, interprète, intermédiaire et maîtresse d’Abdul Razak Baginda"
here and "
En Malaisie, ce contrat s'est doublé d'un scandale autour de l'assassinat en octobre 2006 d'Altantuya Shaaribuu, une interprète et intermédiaire mongole, lors des négociations sur ces ventes d'armes"
here.
Surely, juicy stories of sex, corruption and murder linking our PM, international news media - realm of Anwar Ibrahim, would give it the widest coverage possible and in the most negative light.
But this not the case. All quiet on the Western front.
What does that tell you?
If SUARAM's allegations are "credible" and "scandalous" as they have made it out to be, you can be sure as the sun sets today CNN, BBC, The Economist, WSJ et al would be begging for every morsel bit of news SUARAM can spare.
Instead of which, SUARAM would make their statements here and there by way of press conferences that are nothing more than publicity stunts.
This "corruption" investigation will drag for years after which it could even be dropped.
SUARAM knows this and that is their true intent.
To keep the Najib/Altantuya "link" in the limelight.
For SUARAM, the show must and will go on.
Sundaily
reported the government will respond to reply to Scorpene allegations today.
Related reading Rocky's Bru "
Altantuya never set foot in France, did not speak French"