MACC insists Bala write in formally before they investigate. — Reuters pic
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) today reiterated that P. Balasubramaniam must make a formal statement before any investigation can proceed on the private investigator’s allegations surrounding the murder of Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu.
The missing private investigator had sent an email of his allegations to the MACC after making public claims that linked Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his family to events after the 2006 murder, including being paid off to retract a sworn statement, but the anti-graft agency has yet to take action.
“We want Bala to come forward to give his statement. He is our main witness,” said MACC director of investigations, Datuk Mohd Shukri Abdull, in a short text message to The Malaysian Insider.
Mohd Shukri’s response was to claims by Bala’s lawyer, Americk Sidhu, that the MACC wanted the missing private investigator to formally write about his claims, despite a series of video interviews available at the Malaysia-Today news portal and YouTube.
He explained that they wanted to question the former special branch officer first before they question others implicated by him.
“His statement is very important before we proceed in questioning other persons,” said Mohd Shukri, who did not respond when asked if this also meant there would be no investigations if Bala did not come forward.
In the series of video interviews, Bala made sensational allegations that Najib knew Altantuya, and that his architect brother Nazim together with a businessman linked to the prime minister’s wife made him retract a statutory declaration on the case.
Bala identified the carpet businessman as Deepak Jaikishan, whom he claims is a close associate of Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor.
Two elite policemen are appealing death sentences for the murder of the Mongolian model, whose death in 2006 is still shrouded in mystery. A third accused, political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda, a close friend of the prime minister, was acquitted.
Najib has denied ever knowing Altantuya but her murder continues to provide ammunition used by the opposition against him.
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