Thursday April 14, 2011

RPK: I don’t believe PM’s wife was at Altantuya's murder scene

KUALA LUMPUR: Controversial fugitive blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin had doubts about his statutory declaration (SD) implicating Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor in the murder of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu.

In a sensational interview over TV3 last night, Raja Petra said he had made the allegations on the belief that the order came from PKR adviser and Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The Malaysia Today founder and editor said his SD in 2008 which stated he was reliably informed that Rosmah was among those present at the crime scene on Oct 19, 2006 when Altantuya was killed was based on information and demand by several individuals aimed at preventing Najib from becoming prime minister.

Fugitive blogger: A video grab of Raja Petra on TV3’s Nightline news programme this morning.

Raja Petra claimed these individuals were connected to several politicians, including Anwar, and that they had put pressure on him to do what he did to prevent Najib from taking over from Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who relinquished the post in 2009.

“I no longer accept the story. I think it's quite impossible. It can't be that the Prime Minister's wife would want to go to such a place; it's a jungle. I'm imagining, climbing up the hill, going into the jungle at night, at midnight, I think it's quite impossible,” he said in an exclusive interview with TV3 Group Editor Datuk Ashraf Abdullah in Perth, Australia, recently.

The interview was aired through TV3's prime time news Buletin Utama last night.

Raja Petra said in the SD he made on June 18, 2008, he had stated that he received information from several individuals claiming that Rosmah was at the scene where Altantuya was murdered.

“I've never raised any accusation. I didn't say I knew that the prime minister's wife was at the scene at that time.

“And I've mentioned the names of these people during the police investigation,” he said, identifying the individuals as Nik Azmi Nik Daud, John Pang and blogger Din Merican.

He claimed a military intelligence officer known as Col Azmi Zainal Abidin had also given him similar information.

He said that in his meeting with Nik Azmi, he had asked the latter why he was being pressured to make the SD.

Raja Petra added: “He said Pak Lah would relinquish his post, (and) if we don't block Najib, (he) will become the prime minister to succeed Pak Lah.”

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