Saturday, June 30, 2007
Gerak: Minister involved in CBT
PUTRAJAYA: Former Parti Keadilan Rakyat Youth chief Ezam Mohd Nor has no intention of joining another political party for now despite invitations from his friends in Umno and PAS.
He prefers to concentrate on his role as chairman of the Movement for Democracy and Anti-Corruption (Gerak) to “highlight and fight” corruption in the country.
Asked if he had been invited to join other political movements following his resignation from PKR, Ezam said: “Sort of, because I have many friends in Umno and PAS. And naturally, as friends, they have invited me to be with them. But my focus now is on Gerak.”
On Tuesday, Ezam announced that he had quit PKR and accused his one-time political idol Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim of dictatorial politics. His resignation took effect on April 4 but he had quit all his party posts in February.
Yesterday, Ezam, as chairman of Gerak, handed a 632-page document to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi which contained allegations of criminal breach of trust and misappropriation involving a senior Cabinet Minister.
The document, which according to Ezam took Gerak six months to compile, contained two police reports lodged against the minister made by a chief executive officer of a public-listed company in 1998, statements by the Malaysian Companies Commission as well as receipts and invoices amounting to millions of ringgit.
Asked to reveal the identity of the minister, Ezam said he had made a verbal agreement with the Prime Minister’s Office not to name the individual.
Ezam said he decided not to hand over the document to the Anti-Corruption Agency as he had had “problems with the ACA chief previously, so I think it is better that I go straight to the chief of the ACA chief, which is the Prime Minister, concerning this case.”
tunku : i wonder who is the minister in ezam's report. i though he'll bring his boxes(kotak) but he brought a thick book which he claims contain evidence of the corrupt minister.i don't understand what is ezam motive when he said he don't trust the ACA but he trust pak lah.something fishy here. anyway we hope that pak lah will investigated thoroughly on this matter but i doubt it. same like what happened with Kubang Pasu (umno ) case, found no faults in it and the best part the meeting chaired by najib although pak lah was in town.BIG QUESTION MARK.
black out the opposition
It’s an open secret that the government issues directives to state-owned television and radio stations to black out the opposition. But it now appears that private stations also receive similar directives.
Malaysiakini has obtained a copy of the letter from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) ordering all private TV and radio stations to stop airing speeches by opposition leaders. [See original letter]
“The government has noted that several private TV and radio stations have been airing speeches by opposition party leaders,” wrote MCMC chairman Dr Halim Shafie in the June 7 letter.
“Your station is requested not to broadcast such speeches in future.”
The one-page letter added that the directive should be implemented immediately.
Halim could not be reached for comment.
MCMC, a government agency under the Energy, Water and Communications Ministry, is empowered to regulate matters relating to communications and multimedia activities, including private TV and radio stations as well as Internet websites.
The licencing of private TV and radio stations comes under its purview.
The letter was carbon-copied to Energy, Water and Communications Ministry’s secretary general Dr Halim Man.
No such directive
Yesterday, private station ntv7 denied opposition party claims that it had received a directive ordering it to censor opposition comments in news broadcasts.
Opposition member of parliament Tan Kok Wai told a press conference on Wednesday that he had received information from a reliable source of a directive to the media to stop airing comments from opposition parties.
The DAP parliamentarian said the directive tantamount to political discrimination against opposition parties.
tunku : if this is true then i think the government is govern by coward people.i know there won't be wide coverage for opposition but to ban them totally is a coward thing to do.i am a government supporter but i don't agree with this.if we are in the right direction, we should not be afraid of anybody.
Friday, June 29, 2007
Altantuya Murder Case 29/07/07
Najib seen with Altantuya
A Mongolian witness caused a stir in court today when she revealed that murdered Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu had been photographed having a meal with a Malaysian government official named Najib Razak.
Burmaa Oyunchimeg (left), also known as Amy, told the Shah Alam High Court that Altantuya had shown her the photo in Hong Kong when she returned from a trip to France.
It is believed that the government official in the photograph is Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, who has close ties with political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda.
The latter has been charged with abetting the murder of Altantuya, 28.
Najib has previously denied that he had personally met the murdered woman and that he heard of her only from newspaper reports after Altantuya was murdered.
This morning, Burmaa, 26, had mentioned the photograph when re-examined by DPP Manoj Kurup.
Manoj was asking whether she had personal knowledge of Altantuya’s disappearance.
Burmaa began her answer conveyed by her translator Enkhjargal Tsetsgee that she knew Altantuya had come to see Razak who happens to be the only person she knows in Malaysia.
“I know why she wanted to see Razak Baginda, I have seen pictures of Altantuya with Razak and a government official,” she said.
However, Manoj quizzed her as to how she knew Altantuya disappeared and did not follow up with Burmaa’s sudden revelation.
About 20 minutes later, lawyer Karpal Singh, who is holding a watching brief for the deceased’s family, sought permission from the court to pose a question on the photograph.
'They had the same name'
This drew protests from the prosecution and a verbal exchange ensued on the relevance of the question. However, judge Mohd Zaki Mohd Yasin granted Karpal permission.
The veteran lawyer then proceeded to ask Burmaa on what was depicted in the photograph.
“She (Altantuya) was having a meal at a round table with Razak (Baginda), a Malaysian government official and other people,” she replied.
Karpal then asked her on the identity of the government official, and she replied: “I remember the name Najib Razak, they had the same name, ‘Razak’. I thought they were brothers. I asked her (Altantuya) if they were brothers.”
This sparked off another exchange between the prosecution and Karpal before the judge dismissed Burmaa and directed the courtroom to stand down for 15 minutes.
The next witness was lance corporal Rohaniza Roslan, 29, who had testified that the red Proton Wira aeroback - which was seen by Razak’s private investigator P Balasubramaniam as the car that took Altantuya away on Oct 19 last year - belonged to her.
Examined by DPP Noorin Badaruddin, Rohaniza said she was off duty that night and was keeping Azilah company at the police headquarters in Bukit Aman.
She and Azilah were a couple at that time.
“Azilah had an assignment to escort the PM and DPM to Hong Kong but it was cancelled. So I was there to help him unpack his belongings,” she said.
Rohaniza elaborated that Azilah received a call and later followed him to Bukit Damansara. She said she saw an Indian man talking to a “Chinese woman”.
She told the court that she then moved to the back seat and the Chinese woman sat next to her.
'Don't create trouble'
According to Rohaniza, a man in a green cap then showed up, entered the car and Azilah drove them away before dropping the man off at a junction nearby.
“He got out of my car, went into a green (Suzuki) Vitara and Azilah tailed him to a highway towards the direction of Bukit Aman.
“It was then the Chinese woman asked us who we were and Azilah told her “police”,” the Petaling Jaya-based officer told Noorin.
She said Azilah told the Chinese woman not to create trouble at Razak’s house because he has a family at home and that she should find Razak at his office instead.
Rohaniza who was tearing when she was asked to point Azilah out as she revealed that she has known Azilah since 1998 when she joined the police force.
Two police officers - Azilah, 30, and corporal Sirul Azhar Umar, 35 - are charged with the murder of Altantuya. Razak, 47, is charged with abetting them.
Prosecutors allege that Abdul Razak and Altantuya met in 2004 and began a whirlwind affair, during which he gave her money.
After they broke up a year later, he allegedly continued to give her money whenever she demanded. But the payments stopped last year, prompting her to become dissatisfied and travel to Malaysia in October, the prosecution said.
Altantuya was killed by ‘probable blast-related’ injuries in a clearing in Shah Alam after she was driven away from outside Abdul Razak's house in mid-October.
All three accused faced the death penalty.
Azilah Told Altantuya Not To Disturb Razak
SHAH ALAM, June 29 (Bernama) -- The Shah Alam High Court here was told Friday that Mongolian woman Altantuya Shaaribuu had been reminded by Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri not to disturb Abdul Razak Abdullah Baginda and create a commotion in front of the political analyst's house.
Azilah's girlfriend, Lance Corporal Rohaniza Roslan told the court that Azilah also instructed Altantuya to meet Abdul Razak at his office if there was any problem.
She said Azilah also told Altantuya not to disturb Abdul Razak because he had a family.
Rohaniza said this when testifying as the seventh prosecution witness in the Altantuya murder trial which entered its 10th day today.
She said Azilah gave the instruction to Altantuya in a car after taking the woman who had been waiting in front of Abdul Razak's house on the night of Oct 19, 2006.
In the dock are Azilah, 30, and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar, 35, both from the Bukit Aman Special Action Unit, charged with murdering Altantuya, 28, at lots between 12843 and 16735 in Mukim Bukit Raja between 10pm on Oct 19 and 1am on Oct 20 last year.
Abdul Razak, 46, is accused of abetting the two policemen. They face the death penalty if convicted.
Malaysia Invites Sumitomo To Lay Bakun Submarine Cable
PUTRAJAYA, June 28 (Bernama) -- The government has invited Japan's Sumitomo Corporation to take up the project to lay a 700-kilometre long submarine cable to transmit electricity from the Bakun hydroelectric dam in Sarawak to Peninsular Malaysia.
The cable linking Bakun with Tanjung Lemang in Johor will cost about US$1.5 billion, Energy, Water and Communications Minister Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik said today.
He said the Bakun dam was expected to be completed in 2010.
Dr Lim said during his recent visit to Japan, he had visited the Sumitomo submarine cable manufacturing facility in Osaka.
"I told them to work together with other cable manufacturers to ensure that we can lay this cable as soon as possible. Bakun should be ready by 2010, so there are three years left," he told reporters after the ground-breaking ceremony of the Energy Commission Diamond building here.
Also present were Energy Commission chairman Datuk Pian Sukro and the ministry's deputy secretary-general Loo Took Gee.
Dr Lim said it would take at least one year just to lay 250 kilometres of cable.
He said the country would be focusing on tapping hydroelectric power in the next 10 years in an effort to improve national energy security while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
"Bakun is one of the many hydro power sources that can be generated in Sarawak, mainly from the upper Rejang River, which has a potential of 20,000 megawatts," Dr Lim said.
"So most of the hydro power plants will be in Sarawak and power will be transmitted through submarine cables," he said.
Asked whether Sumitomo has taken up the offer, Dr Lim said the Japanese corporation was expected to though pricing and other issues needed to be sorted out.
"(For the trip to Japan) I brought along Sime Darby, the owner of Bakun dam, and Tenaga Nasional Bhd as well and they were able to talk about this," he said.
Dr Lim said in Peninsular Malaysia, there are still about 900 megawatts of hydro power available in Hulu Terengganu, Terengganu, and Ulu Jelai in Pahang.
"We will be tapping into those but the bulk will be coming from Sarawak," he said.
tunku : i'm glad that at last the long submarine cable to transmit electricity from the Bakun hydroelectric dam in Sarawak to Peninsular Malaysia will soon becomes a reality.it's a mega project and will be the longest submarine power cable in the world. The NorNed cable(under construction) will be 580 km long and have a capacity of 700 MW. It will also be the world’s longest subsea cable with the highest capacity.i hope there is no kickbacks in this super mega deal.
Blair becomes ME envoy
UNITED NATIONS: Tony Blair was named on Wednesday as the special envoy of the four major powers mediating Middle East peace shortly after stepping down as prime minister of Britain.
Blair’s new role in world politics was announced by the United Nations and United States after he ended a decade in power and was succeeded to the premiership by his former finance minister, Gordon Brown.
“Following discussions among the principals, today the quartet dealing with the Middle East is announcing the appointment of Tony Blair as the quartet’s representative,” UN spokeswoman Michele Montas told a news briefing.
Representatives of the quartet — the European Union, Russia, United Nations and United States — had discussed offering Blair a mandate at talks in Jerusalem on Tuesday.
Speaking before parliament for the last time as prime minister, Blair said “the absolute priority is to try to give effect to what is now the consensus across the international community that the only way of bringing stability and peace in the Middle East is a two state solution.
He said this means “a state of Israel which is secure and confident in its security, and a Palestinian state that is not merely viable in terms of its territory but in terms of its institutions and governance. “I believe it is possible to do that but it will require a huge intensity of focus and work,” added Blair, who handed over to his finance minister Gordon Brown later in the day.
Blair made no mention of the envoy job, but Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern told RTE radio that the departing British prime minister told him personally on Friday that he “was going to take it.”
And Ahern added: “He thinks, and I believe he is right, that if you have hands-on, persistent engagement you can make real progress.”
Ahern has been a key ally of Blair over his decade in power, overseeing the resumption of power-sharing in Northern Ireland in May after jointly brokering a historic reconciliation between Catholic and Protestant forces.
Ahern said Blair considered the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to “the source of all the problems in the wider Middle East,” and had to be solved as part of a wider solution.
“He is going to put quite an amount of his personal time into this after today and I wish him well on that,” Ahern said.
Blair, who lost political capital after sending British troops in support of the US-led invasion of Iraq, spent his last months in office stressing that a solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict was a priority for him.
tunku : what can this moron deliver, what has he done when he was the pm? this man has send troops to kill hundred thousands of iraqis and afghanis.people should send him and bush after their retirements to rehabilitation centre not as special envoy.they don't deserve it.
Judge: Zakaria committed criminal offence
PETALING JAYA (June 28, 2007): The High Court (Commercial Division) has held that Port Klang assemblyman Datuk Zakaria Md Deros committed a criminal act for holding and performing the role of a company director while a bankrupt.
He was declared a bankrupt between Sept 10 and Nov 24, 1992, but continued to hold the post of director of Masmanis Sdn Bhd.
"A bankrupt who acts or continues to act as a director commits a criminal offence," said Justice Datuk Kang Hwee Gee in his oral judgment on June 21. The written submission was released yesterday.
He was presiding over a summons brought by two secretaries of Masmanis against Zakaria, the Companies Commission and three others.
Norakhmar Baharom and Lee Thai Thye had applied to the court for a declaration that Zakaria be removed as director effective Sept 10, 1992, and that all actions, dealings and transactions conducted by him as director are null and void.
They also asked the court to declare that Lee Ming Leong, Tan Pei Choo and Hicks-woode Corporate Services Sdn Bhd (named as first, second and third defendants respectively) are not secretaries of Masmanis, as they were appointed by Zakaria (the fourth defendant).
The plaintiffs wanted the Companies Commission (the fifth and final defendant) to remove from Masmanis' records all documents filed by Ming Leong, Tan, Hicks-woode and Zakaria.
The judge held that by virtue of Section 125 of the Companies Act, the post of a director adjudged a bankrupt shall be automatically vacant.
"The fourth defendant had not vacated his position despite being adjudged a bankrupt. His incompetency may have a far reaching consequence not merely at the time he acted as director but later with respect to any act done by him during his tenure which may one way or other affect the company's relationship with third parties."
Justice Kang however, dismissed the application for the removal of Ming Leong, Tan and Hicks-woode as company secretaries, by virtue of Section 127 of the Companies Act which states that despite being appointed by an incapacitated director, their appointments remain valid.
He also dismissed the application against the Companies Commission, as Section 11 (10) of the Companies Act allows for any person aggrieved by the ROC decision to apply within 30 days to the court to challenge the decision - something the plaintiffs had not done.
Zakaria was in the news last year over a litany of abuses, including building a mansion without planning permission and defaulting on assessment for over a decade.
Later, it was learnt that during the two months he was a bankrupt, Zakaria was also a serving senator.
tunku : it is best that zakaria will not be elected again as an assemblyman.DS Khir Toyo should take this action so that in future there will be no other assemblyman who does not respect the law.he broke many laws and it will tarnish umno and bn image if he is fielded again.if he is elected again i have no words to say.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Altantuya Murder Case 28/6/07
Witness Says Altantuya Left Note Of Murder Threat
SHAH ALAM, June 28 (Bernama) -- The murder trial of Altantuya Shaariibuu Thursday heard about a note left by the Mongolian beauty before she died, relating her ordeal of being harassed and alleged murder threats by political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda.
Prosecution's sixth witness Burmaa Oyunchimeg told the High Court here that she found the note, handwritten by Altantuya, while she was packing her cousin's belongings at Hotel Malaya between 9pm and 10pm on Sept 20 last year.
Testifying during examination-in-chief by DPP Manoj Kurup, Burmaa, 26, a beauty salon operator, said she found the note, written in English on both sides of a Hotel Malaya's letterhead in the front compartment of a white Guess bag belonging to Altantuya.
She told the court that her cousin wrote in the note that Abdul Razak was trying to kill her.
Burmaa read out the contents of the note in court:
"Dear all Malaysian government or police, or Embassy of Mongolia, or newspapers. My name is Shaariibuu Altantuya. I came to Malaysia to see boyfriend Mr Razak Abdullah Baginda. He (is) married and lives with daughter Roweena and wife and parents in Damansara Height, Jalan Setia Jaya 22. His office (is) in Jalan Ampang. Yes, I have been visiting his house and office because I needed to see him. Yes, I asked from him money but I have reasons.
"I am a nice person, I can't hurt someone but Mr A. Razak Baginda is a powerful person. He has money. He has connections in (with) police, in government. He (is) trying to scare me, trying to kill me.
"He send his two Indian men to follow me, one of them Suraj (K. Suras) Kumar, he (has) been coming to my hotel room every morning around 5am and knocking (on the) door, trying to scare me.
"They (have) been following me for four to five days. Even to my hotel, I'm staying, workers (also) know. That time I (was) really scared, I have some problems now.
"Mr Razak Baginda promised to help me when I was (in) Mongolia. That (is) why I came to see him and for help. But he (is) trying to kill me and that Indians told me they have connections with police, so they will put (me) to jail.
"Yes, maybe I did mistake to bother him, to blackmail him but if he didn't promise to me, I would never come from far away to Malaysia. The only reason I am here is I'm asking help from Mr Razak."
"I get P.I., private investigator Mr Poh. But today, he told me that Indians would kill and put (me) down from window. And before I write (this) letter, I suicide myself because I have no choice, he told that they have my letters so they kill (me) and say she suicide."
Witness Testify Razak Baginda Did Not Want To Meet Altantuya Anymore
SHAH ALAM, June 28 (Bernama) -- Abdul Razak Baginda sent an SMS to Burmaa Oyunchimeg, a cousin of murdered Mongolian beauty Altantuya Shaariibuu, saying that he did not want to meet Altantuya anymore, the High Court heard Thursday.
Burmaa, 26, a beauty salon operator, said the political analyst wanted her to convey his wish to the Mongolian model.
Earlier, she told the murder trial that she met Abdul Razak thrice when he was in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Singapore between 2004 and 2005.
At the three occasions, Altantuya, 28. was with Abdul Razak and she (Burmaa) knew that her cousin was very close with the political analyst, the sixth prosecution witness said during examination-in-chief by DPP Manoj Kurup on the ninth day of the high-profile murder trial.
In the dock is Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri, 31, and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar, 35, from the police special action unit, charged with murdering Altantuya at lots between 12843 and 16735 in Mukim Bukit Raja here between 10pm on Oct 19 and 1am on Oct 20 last year.
Abdul Razak, 46, is accused of abetting the two policemen in the murder. The three face the death sentence if convicted.
Burmaa also said she had been in constant contact with Abdul Razak when he was in England and Malaysia if the political analyst failed to contact Altantuya who was in Mongolia.
She also said Abdul Razak had contacted her to convey to Altantuya that he had deposited money into her account.
Remembering 50th Independence or election campaign
PETALING JAYA: Persoalan itu mungkin terlintas di dalam fikiran pengguna Lebuhraya Sprint yang memandu lalu plaza toll Damansara apabila mereka ternampak beberapa potret pemimpin Barisan Nasional yang terpapar di situ.
Potret presiden Umno Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, timbalan presiden Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, presiden MCA Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting, presiden MIC Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu dan pemangku presiden Gerakan Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon itu didirikan oleh Kolej Kejururawatan and Kesihatan Masterskill, sebuah kolej swasta yang terletak in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur.
Difahamkan bahawa potret yang serupa juga diletak di beberapa lokasi sekitar Lembah Kelang sempena sambutan Hari Kebangsaan Ke-50.
tunku : if it was independence, then the photos should be those warriors/people who are involved in the process of independence and make it into reality, not those photos above, this is a very clear election campaign strategy.
Abdullah Returns From Official Visit To Italy
SUBANG, June 27 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi returned home tonight from a three-day official visit to Italy.
He arrived at the Royal Malaysian Air Force Base, Subang about 11.45 pm accompanied by his wife Datin Seri Jeanne Abdullah.
Abdullah and Jeanne were greeted on arrival by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, members of the cabinet and other VIPs.
Abdullah had led a delegation of almost 200 members including Malaysian entrepreneurs to Italy to boost cooperation in the fields of economy, trade and agriculture.
Among other things, he had held meetings with his Italian counterpart Romano Prodi and delivered a speech at the Malaysian-Italian Business Forum yesterday.
Before the Italian visit, the Prime Minister's delegation had visited Russia and Bosnia Herzegovina.
En route home, Abdullah and Jeanne were reported to have stopped at Mecca to perform the `umrah'.
tunku : welcome back pak lah and jin opps jeanne.hope that you will meet with MTUC asap.they need your attention urgently.since you became the pm you had never met with MTUC.just imagine how caring is our pm.
Sarawak DAP crosses sword with PKR
Tension is brewing between the opposition parties in Sarawak.
Sarawak DAP has accused PKR’s sole elected representative in the state Dominique Ng of trying to smear DAP leaders in relation to the Islamic state issue.
In a press statement, DAP Bandar Kuching MP Chong Chieng Jen said: “Ng lied when he claimed that (DAP stalwart and Opposition Leader) Lim Kit Siang frequently kept in touch with PAS leaders.”
“I was shocked when I read the statement made by Ng (left) in malaysiakini and I contacted Lim personally,” he added.
He said Lim told him that he had not kept in touch with PAS leaders and that Ng’s statement was a “pure lie.”
Ng made the remark earlier this week when he announced the list of 13 parliamentary constituencies which PKR has decided to contest.
DAP was once part of the opposition front Barisan Alternatif (BA), which also comprises PAS and PKR.
However, DAP pulled out in 2001 after crossing swords with PAS over the latter’s aim to establish an Islamic state.
No compromise on ideals
Continuing his attack, Chong (right) said: “It is regrettable that in his overzealousness to try and justify PKR’s association with PAS, Ng will go to the extent of telling lies to the public.”
“I can never overemphasize DAP’s stand that we will not form an alliance with a party propagating an Islamic state.
“Unlike PKR, DAP will not compromise our ideals that Malaysia is a secular state and that PAS’ ideology is in contradiction with our Federal Constitution,” he added.
Chong called on PKR leaders to have “at least that little decency and integrity as a person so as not to tell lies.”
As for PKR’s intention to contest in 13 of the 32 parliamentary seats up for grabs in Sarawak, the DAP leader said the former owed the people of the state an explanation first:
This is for:
1) In 2001, when the arrangement between PKR and DAP was that the Batu Kawah state constituency be contested by a PKR candidate, PKR had allowed Barisan Nasional (BN) to win the seat uncontested.
2. In 2004, after a long bickering over the Miri parliamentary constituency, DAP gave up the seat to PKR. Again, the BN candidate won uncontested.
Was there any ‘political trading’ involved in the above events and what assurance do the people have that the scenario will not repeat itself? Asked Chong.
tunku : the thief calling another thief a thief. this is the scenario with the opposition parties. they always back stab each other in order to be champion of the people. but one thing for sure dominic ng will be history after the election.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Altantuya Murder Case - 27/07/07
Demand For Money Is Not Extortion - Witness
SHAH ALAM, June 27 (Bernama) -- A private investigator hired by Altantuya Shaariibuu told the High Court here today that the Mongolian woman would disclose everything to the "wife, daughter and media" if Abdul Razak Abdullah Baginda refused to hand over USD500,000 (RM1.73 million) was not a threat.
It was more a husband and wife relationship, "If you don't want me anymore, then pay me," Ang Chong Beng, 56, said this when re-examined by Deputy Public Prosecutor Raya Manoj Kurup at the hearing on the murder of the Mongolian woman.
He also said that although Altantuya was his client, he did not wish to interfere and did not want to know about the incident where Altantuya was taken by the police from the political analyst's house on Oct 17, 2006.
Manoj: "You were also asked several questions after the incident where Amina (Altantuya) was taken by the police. You had said that you did not want to know why Amina was taken by the police. If you did not want to know, why did you follow them to the Brickfields Police Station?"
Ang: "I had to send Altantuya back to the hotel and I was afraid if Altantuya was in danger."
Abdul Razak, 46, is being charged with abetting Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri, 30, and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar 35, both from the Special Action Unit, in killing Altantuya, 28.
The political analyst is accused of committing the offence at the Federal Territory between 9.54 am, Oct 18 2006 and 9.45 pm on Oct 19 last year.
Azilah and Sirul Azhar are accused of killing Altantuya at Lot 12843 and Lot 16735 Mukim Bukit Raja, Shah Alam between 10 pm, Oct 19 and 1 am on Oct 20, 2006.
Earlier when cross-examined by counsel Ahmad Zaidi Zainal, who is representing Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar, if Ang considered the act by Altantuya who had gone to Abdul Razak's house as an offence, why did he not go to Altantuya when the police came, Ang replied: "I did not wish to interfere. I let her follow the police."
Ahmad Zaidi: "In your opinion as an investigator, why was Amina (Altantuya) taken by the police on that particular night?"
Ang: "It was late at night then and usually if someone goes to a private property, the police will arrest him or her. It's normal. It is harassment.
Ahmad Zaidi: "You knew Amina was committing an offence?"
Ang: "To me, Amina was not harassing. She had only come to meet someone."
Ahmad Zaidi: "So, you collaborated with Amina to make a disturbance?"
Ang: "I don't agree that I was collaborating."
Ahmad Zaidi also asked Ang what was his perception of Altantuya when he first met her, whether he thought she was a rich or poor woman, Ang replied "normal."
At the hearing yesterday, Ang told the court that Altantuya did not pay him the initial fee for the job assigned as she had said that she was poor and had no money.
Ahmad Zaidi: "Did you notice Amina wearing any jewellery during your first meeting?"
Ang: "I am not sure".
Ahmad Zaidi: "Do you agree that from the way that Amina dressed, she was not a poor woman?"
Ang: "Disagree".
Ang also testified that he was informed by (Abdul Razak's) private investigator P.Balasubramaniam that Abdul Razak was a VIP (very important person) and as such Abdul Razak did not want his name to appear in the newspaper or to be known by anyone when discussing Altantuya's demand.
Asked if Ang was not curious if a poor woman had asked for a substantial amount of money (from someone), he said: "It's not strange, Altantuya's son was sick. (She) needed a lot of money."
When Ang was replying, Justice Datuk Mohd Zaki Md Yasin interjected: "Why? Poor people should only ask for a small sum of money?" which was greeted with laughter from the public gallery.
Ang had earlier denied that it was he who had suggested that Altantuya demanded the USD$500,000 from Abdul Razak and disagreed that a portion of that money was for him.
At the start of the proceedings, Ang, who was always covering his face when giving testimony in court, was criticised by Ahmad Zaidi who wanted the private investigator to face him during questioning.
Since yesterday, Ang was always looking at the interpreter and the Judge while today, he covered his face with his identity card.
Ang said he was a private investigator and did not want publicity and that he did not want the court's graphic artist to draw his face.
"I'm a private investigator. It's difficult to get jobs later," he said.
Justice Mohd Zaki said it was up to Ang to do so.
Ang gave his testimony in Cantonese which was later translated into Bahasa Malaysia.
The courtroom was still full on the eighth day of the hearing although the media was not under very tight police security today but members of the press must be present before 7 am to obtain the limited entry passes.
As usual, Abdul Razak took the opportunity to embrace members of his family before the proceedings began and had time to shave his beard, while Sirul and Azilah were more casual, and sometimes acknowledged the press.
Hearing continues tomorrow.
Shaariibuu Lodges Report Over Altantuya's Missing Entry Record
SHAH ALAM, June 27 (Bernama) -- Altantuya's father, Dr Shaariibuu Setev today lodged a police report on the alleged disappearance of the entry record of his daughter and two other Mongolian women to this country in October last year in the Malaysian and Beijing Immigration Departments' registries.
The report was made by him following the statement made by Altantuya's friend, Uuriintuya Gal-Ochir, yesterday, after giving her evidence as the fourth prosecution witness in the Altantuya murder trial.
Shaariibuu made the report at the Shah Alam High Court Police Beat Base, after the trial was adjourned for the lunch break.
Lawyer Karpal Singh, who is holding a watching brief for the family of Altantuya and the Mongolian goverment, said outsite the courtroom that the matter needed clarification because it was very serious and an attempt to obliterate the information from the record.
He said the matter should not be left hanging because it was a pertinent and significant issue as "it is an attempt to show that Altantuya never entered Malaysia and could not have been murdered here".
"An investigation should be carried out to know why and on what reason Altantuya's name was deleted from the record," he said.
Karpal also said he was surprised when the prosecution said that the matter was not relevant and they (prosecution) had also made an application for the evidence to be expunged from the court's record.
Responding to a question why Shaariibuu delayed to lodge the report, Karpal said that the matter was only brought in court yesterday.
Meanwhile before making the report, Shaariibuu said that this was not the only fact that he thought was serious and significant.
"This matter is supposed to be taken into investigation and more statements should be given. I was thinking that since my arrival in June, I would have been taken by police but no one had asked to give a statement.
"I had given so much information to the press before the trial began, now I will lodge a report on this fact and some other facts," said Shaariibuu through his Mongolian translator.
He stressed that the way her daughter was killed - shot twice and blasted using a bomb - was a cruel act
Witness Claims Altantuya Married Razak In Hong Kong
SHAH ALAM, June 27 (Bernama) -- A private investigator hired by Altantuya Shaariibuu told the High Court here today that the part-time model married political analyst Abdul Razak Abdullah Baginda in Hong Kong almost two years before her murder.
Ang Chong Beng, 56, the prosecution's fifth witness, said the marriage was told to him by Altantuya.
However, when questioned further by Abdul Razak's counsel Wong Kian Kheong, Ang said he did not ask to see any document from Altantuya to prove that she was married to Abdul Razak and neither did she show it to him.
Ang said: "I did not and could not be bothered to ask about her marriage."
When asked whether Ang, as a private investigator with 22 years of experience fully accepted what Altantuya told him, he said yes.
Ang said he did not know whether they married in September 2006 and did not investigate to confirm it.
He said the first time he knew that Abdul Razak was married was on Oct 13, 2006 but did not know who his wife was and he also had no knowledge of Altantuya's religion. But he knew Abdul Razak was a Muslim.
He said he was also aware that under Malaysia's Islamic law, Muslims could only marry Muslims.
While Ang was answering the question, Abdul Razak was seen mimicking him as though he was amused and then smiled at the journalists in court.
Wong: On Oct 13, 2006 after you knew that Abdul Razak was a Muslim and that his wife was not Altantuya, were you suspicious that Altantuya had lied that Abdul Razak was her husband?
Ang: No.
Wong: As a private investigator for Altantuya, did you advise her that she could not marry a Muslim under Malaysia' Islamic law?
Ang: No.
Ang said he also did not ask his client to seek legal opinion from a lawyer on the marriage.
During re-examination by Deputy Public Prosecutor Manoj Kurup whether it was required of a private investigator, in looking for someone's address, to also look for certain facts like the person's marital status, Ang replied: "We don't have the power to ask (such questions)."
Manoj: Do you care or not?
Ang: I only believe it.
Manoj: So, it's none of your business?.
Ang: None of my business. Normally, I don't care. If someone tells me that he or she is married, that's enough. If there's divorce, we need to see the certificate."
Ang said in September 2006, Altantuya paid him US$600 for the task of finding out and reporting to her whether Abdul Razak was home in Malaysia or abroad.
He confirmed receiving the payment on Oct 2, 2006.
Ang admitted that Altantuya had promised to pay him for his services after getting money from Abdul Razak.
He said Altantuya and two other Mongolian women had gone to Abdul Razak's office in Bangunan Lembaga Getah Asli Malaysia more than three times.
Ang said during each visit, Abdul Razak refused to meet Altantuya.
Wong: When the accused refused to meet Altantuya, did you suspect that she was not his wife?
Ang: No.
Wong: Were you also not suspicious that the three Mongolian women were disturbing the accused?
Ang: Yes.
Wong: Do you know that disturbance can be categorised as intimidation, which is an offence under Malaysian law?
Ang: I know.
Ang was then queried by Wong on his and Altantuya's appearance at his client's house on Oct 17, 2006 which counsel regarded as uninvited.
Ang agreed with Wong's suggestion that Abdul Razak's house was private property and that an unsolicited visit could tantamount to trespassing.
Wong: From your experience as a private investigator, when one enters a private property at 11 at night without permission, what offence could have been committed?
Ang: I don't know.
Wong: You have testified that Altantuya was taken by police to the station and wanted to make a police report. Did you advise that there was no basis for making a report?
Ang: There was.
More questions were posed to Ang about Altantuya wanting to get US$500 from Abdul Razak to pay him for his services, including what would happen if the accused refused to give the money.
"Altantuya said she would tell about everything to Abdul Razak's wife, his daughter, TV3 and reporters," said Ang.
Wong: Wasn't that extortion?
Ang: No.
Wong: Did you know that by Oct 17, 2006, the accused's wife and their daughter knew about his affair with Altantuya?
Ang: I did not.
Ang also disagreed with counsel that if a sum of US$500,000 was paid by Abdul Razak, part of it would be used to pay him (Ang) for his services.
He also denied issuing a threat to Abdul Razak through SMS and leaving a voice mail in order to extort money from him.
In yesterday's hearing, Ang told the court that Altantuya had asked for money from Abdul Razak in the presence of private investigator P. Balasubramaniam and his assistant K. Suras Kumar outside the police station late at night on Oct 17, 2006.
Ang said for as long as he knew Altantuya, he was never told about the threat from Balasubramaniam and Suras Kumar that she would be killed.
At the end of cross-examination by Wong, Ang stressed that he did not abet Altantuya and the other two Mongolian women in threatening Abdul Razak and also denied making a false police report on their marriage.
Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri, 30, and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar, 35, both from the federal police Special Action Squad, are charged with the murder of Altantuya, 28, at a location between Lot 12843 and Lot 16735, Mukim Bukit Raja here between 10pm on Oct 19 and 1am on Oct 20, 2006.
Abdul Razak is charged with abetting the murder and the offence is alleged to have been committed in the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur between 9.54am on Oct 18 and 9.45pm on Oct 19, 2006.
Altantuya Missing After Visit To Abdul Razak's House, Says Witness
SHAH ALAM, June 27 (Bernama) -- A private investigator hired by Altantuya Shaariibuu told the High Court here Wednesday that he no longer received calls from the Mongolian part-time model after she went to political analyst Abdul Razak Abdullah Baginda's house last October.
Ang Chong Beng, 56, who continued testifying on the eighth day of the high-profile murder trial, said before her disappearance Altantuya told him that P. Balasubramaniam had asked her to go to Abdul Razak's house to meet him.
He added that Altantuya said this through the phone at about 6pm on Oct 19, 2006 while he was driving back to Kuala Lumpur from Johor Baharu.
Ang, the fifth prosecution witness, said Altantuya had asked him to send her to Abdul Razak's house in Damansara Heights but told her that he could not do so.
Questioned by Deputy Public Prosecutor Manoj Kurup, Ang said he then asked Altantuya to take the taxi to Abdul Razak's house.
Manoj: After that, did you receive any call from Altantuya?
Ang: No.
Manoj: When did you receive news on what happened to Altantuya after that?
Ang: On Oct 20. I can't remember the time. Her cousin called me to say that Altantuya did not return.
Ang said he then went to see the two Mongolian women identified as Uuriintuya Gal Ochir and Altantuya's cousin, Namiraa Gerelma and took them to lodge a police report on Altantuya's disappearance.
He said before the report was made at the Jalan Tun H.S. Lee police station, he had spoken to Amy (Burmaa Oyunchimeg) who requested him to make the report.
Ang said he translated into Bahasa Malaysia for Namiraa in making the police report as she was not proficient in English.
"She could only speak a few words of English. She said, `Altantuya no come back'," he said.
Manoj: What did you tell the police when Namiraa said `Altantuya no come back'?
Ang: I told the police that Altantuya had gone to the house of Abdul Razak and did not return.
Ang admitted that the report was made in his own words but based on his knowledge and information given by Namiraa and also by Altantuya earlier.
He said Altantuya's age and their room number at Hotel Malaya were given by Namiraa.
Manoj: What about the second sentence in the report which reads, `On Oct 19, 2006 my friend received a call from an Indian man saying that her husband had asked my friend to go to No. 22, Jalan Setiajaya, Damansara Heights'? Where did this information come from?
Ang: "Altantuya had phoned me on Oct 19, 2006 to inform me about it.
Manoj: Why divulge this information?
Ang: Because I knew about the matter.
Manoj: The following sentence, `For information, my friend had married Abdul Razak bin Abdullah.' Where this information came from?
Ang: Altantuya told me that Abdul Razak was her husband.
Ang said he then signed the report in the space, `Jurubahasa' (translator), and explained the content to Namiraa.
He also testified that he wanted to make the police report himself as he knew Altantuya as his client who had disappeared, but because Namiraa and Altantuya were closely related, he allowed her cousin to do it.
Ang said he then asked Inspector Mohd Faizol Azuhan Che Omar for help to save Altantuya and they went straight to Abdul Razak's house.
Ang said that outside the gate, he called out, `Abdul Razak, release Altantuya' several times but there was no response.
He said Bala (P. Balasubramaniam) was also there at the time and was seen speaking to Faizol.
"I did not know what they talked about. But Inspector Faizol then told me that the police would investigate and asked me to go home. I sent the Mongolian women to their hotel and I went home," he added.
Ang also told the hearing before judge Datuk Mohd Zaki Md Yasin that he had never contacted Abdul Razak on his handphone.
Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri, 31, and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar, 36, both from the federal police Special Action Squad, are charged with the murder of Altantuya, 28, at Lot 12843 and Lot 16735, Mukim Bukit Raja here between 10pm on Oct 19 and 1am on Oct 20, 2006.
Abdul Razak, 46, is charged with abetting the two men and the offence is alleged to have been committed in the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur between 9.54am on Oct 18 and 9.45pm on Oct 19, 2006.
If convicted, the three accused face the death sentence under Section 302 of the Penal Code.
IGP: Seven gang leaders in JB identified
JOHOR BARU: Police have identified seven gang leaders who have been terrorising the state with the help of influential people.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan said police were in the process of gathering intelligence to either take action against these leaders under the preventive laws or to charge them in court.
“Many crime heads are from the state. Not only are locals involved but Singaporeans also control certain areas,” he said, admitting that there was a lot of illegal activity in the state which needed to be cleaned up.
Musa explained that the police would have to weed out gangsterism, clamp down on VCD pirates, loan sharks and those involved in prostitution.
“We must take action against the leaders and not just target VCD sellers,” he said.
Musa was in Johor on a one-day working visit to discuss the crime situation with his men and also to brief Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman on police plans to curb the problem.
Asked whether officers carrying out their duties might fear reprisal or transfers because of these influential people, Musa replied: “My men need not worry about getting transferred if they are doing a good job. Just do not victimise anyone.”
Musa, who was satisfied with the efforts taken by the local police to tackle crime in the state, said there was no need for a special task force from Bukit Aman to be sent to Johor as had been done in Sarawak.
“They (Johor police) have their own task force. The situation in Sarawak is different as they (the gangsters) were too much,” he said.
“The situation in Johor is under control but can be improved.”
On gangsterism, Musa said nobody wanted to come forward to give evidence and, as such, the police would have to use preventive laws against the suspects.
“If the gangster comes out from detention within three months, what are we to do?” he asked.
Musa also took local councils to task for approving entertainment licences everywhere, which made policing difficult.
“Even in villages there are entertainment outlets,” he said, adding that fights usually broke out at pubs and clubs.
tunku : the johor government should sack the councilors who approved entertainment licences especially in small towns or villages.in these area the gangsterism is more quite difficult to control as it's in remote areas.all these while singapore complaint about crime activities in johor but the don't realize that their own people organizing it.god job pdrm, keep working hard.i know it's hard to nail them down as the public is afraid to come forward and help the police as they worried about their safety.
Damage control by PKR leaders after Ezam quits
PETALING JAYA: Parti Keadilan Rakyat leaders are trying to do damage control following the resignation of their former Youth leader Ezam Mohd Nor and the devastating allegations he has made.
PKR leaders such secretary-general Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim and information chief Tian Chua are keeping mum but Youth chief Shamsul Iskandar has come out strongly, calling Ezam “a traitor.”
“He is like one of the main characters in the Chinese classic Romance of the Three Kingdoms – very courageous and daring but at the end of the day, he betrayed the kingdom.
“Ezam has behaved like a traitor to our party and struggles,” said Shamsul.
Ezam, who announced on Monday that he had quit the party, is the second high-profile resignation from PKR since the party congress last month.
Former deputy president Abdul Rahman Othman resigned to join PAS earlier this month.
In resigning, Ezam had criticised Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for allegedly practising dictatorial politics and said that vice-president Azmin Ali’s power and influence was detrimental to the party.
Ezam, who was Anwar's former political secretary, was also unhappy with Azmin's control over Anwar on a number of political issues.
Shamsul accused Ezam of behaving like a pawn of the ruling party.
“He was committed to our struggle but now I suspect he is part of an agenda to undermine Datuk Seri Anwar and PKR with the general election so near. His motive is clear and his timing is perfect,” he alleged.
Meanwhile, Selangor vice-Youth head Khairul Anuar said that if Ezam was sincere about reforming the party, he would have taken on Azmin from within the party instead of quitting to attack PKR leaders from the outside.
“It is wrong of him to say that Anwar is a dictator because PKR is democratic. This is what happens when people join the party because they believe in a personality rather than the bigger struggle,” said Khairul.
Khalid said he needed time to come out with a consensus statement.
Chua declined to comment on Ezam’s allegations but said Ezam wanted to disassociate himself from PKR so as to give greater credibility to his anti-corruption NGO, Gerak.
tunku : pkr is a rotten party,it has to be destroyed in order to control the damage it has done to the country.it's a party of full traitors especially it's so called de facto moron leader anwar ibrahim.i agree that ezam is a traitor too.he is now negotiating with pas and umno. he has not decided which group to join. i believe if pas takes him than they will have some problems with anwar and pkr. if umno takes him than it's a bad luck for umno.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Altantuya Murder Case- 26/6/07
Altantuya Continued To Visit Bala Despite Threat, Court Told
SHAH ALAM, June 26 (Bernama) -- Altantuya Shaariibuu's friend, Uuriintuya Gal Ochir told the High Court here that the part-time model continued to meet Abdul Razak Abdullah Baginda's private investigator, P. Balasubramaniam and his assistant, K. Suras Kumar although the two men had threatened and harassed her.
Uuriintuya, 30, said Altantuya did so because she had to see Abdul Razak even if it was only for a moment.
She disclosed this to the court during cross-examination by defence counsel Wong Kian Kheong who is representing Abdul Razak in the hearing into the murder of Altantuya.
Wong: "You testified that Suras came to your room five times. (Do you) agree that Suras came to the room after the threats were made on 11 Oct?
Uuriintuya: "Yes."
Wong: "(Do you) agree that on the five occasions Suras came to the room, you could have refused to allow him to enter?"
Uuriintuya: "No."
Wong: "Did you call the hotel management when Suras banged loudly on the door?"
Uuriintuya: "Only on the last (fifth) occasion and for the first four times Altantuya told the hotel people don't let the motorbike guy to come. But these are people of different shifts. The (staff from the) other shifts let him in."
Ealier Uuriintuya, a housewife, testified that she had never seen Abdul Razak in Mongolia and she did not know whether the political analyst had married Altantuya in October 2006.
Uuriintuya said although she did not know about the marriage, she had never asked Altantuya about it.
She also refuted Wong's allegation during the cross-examination that she had conspired and discussed with Namiraa Gerelmaa, 23, on what transpired in 2006 before testifying in court.
Wong: "Did Namiraa tell you about what happened to her in court?"
Uuriintuya: "No. She only told me that she raised her hand."
Earlier when cross-examined by Wong, Uuriintuya told the court that she was in her fourth month of pregnancy when she followed Altantuya to this country.
Record Of Altantuya And Friends' Entry To M'sia Deleted - Uuriintuya
SHAH ALAM, June 26 (Bernama) -- The murder trial of Altantuya Shaariibuu was told Tuesday that the record of the Mongolian model and two other Mongolian women entering Malaysia was deleted from the immigration computer system.
Altantuya's friend, Uuriintuya Gal-Ochir, 30, testified at the High Court here that she faced problems at the KL International Airport on Nov 24 last year when exiting out of the country to return to Mongolia as there was no record of them entering Malaysia.
"There was no record of us (Altantuya, Namiraa Gerelmaa and Uuriintuya) entering Malaysia. They (the immigration officers) asked me how did I come to Malaysia, by sea or by car. So I showed my air ticket because it stated the day I entered Malaysia," she said.
She said she was stranded at the airport for two hours and police officers told her that she had entered Malaysia illegally. However, she said, she and Altantuya's father, Setev Shaariibuu, were then allowed to return to Mongolia.
Uuriintuya, who testified in Mongolian language and translated to English by Mongolian interpreter, Enkhjargal Tsetsgee, had earlier told the court that she did not go back to Mongolia on Oct 26 last year, the same day as Namiraa, as she did not have her passport with her.
"I didn't go back (on Oct 26 last year) because I have no passport. My passport was kept by Altantuya in her bag and she (Altantuya) disappeared," she said, adding that she only returned to Mongolia on Nov 24 with Shaariibuu.
Uuriintuya's evidence triggered murmurs in the courtroom following a question from Justice Datuk Mohd Zaki Md Yasin on which day did she and Altantuya's cousin Namiraa left Malaysia for Mongolia.
Mohd Zaki poised the question to Uuriintuya after DPP Manoj Kurup finished his re-examination on the fourth prosecution witness (Uuriintuya).
Karpal Singh, who is holding a watching brief for Altantuya's family and the Mongolian government, then told the court that her evidence on the issue was important and he wondered whether the entry of the three people have been obliterated from the record.
Counsel Kamarul Hisham Kamaruddin, the counsel for Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar, the second accused in the Altantuya murder trial, then stood up and told the court that he wanted to cross-examine Uuriintuya on the evidence as that part of the evidence did not arise from the examination-in-chief by Manoj.
Kamarul Hisham said the witness went beyond to answer the question posed by Mohd Zaki and was also not the answer to the court's question but the judge told Kamarul Hisham that he could make a submission on the evidence and that he (the judge) had recorded the said evidence.
DPP Tun Abdul Majid Tun Hamzah asked the court to expunge Uuriintuya's evidence on that issue as it was irrelevant to the current case as her reply was not part of the question posed by the court.
At this juncture, Kamarul Hisham stood up again and supported Tun Abdul Majid to expunge the evidence. However, Mohd Zaki ruled that Kamarul Hisham did not have to cross-examine Uuriintuya on that issue and also rejected their application to expunge the evidence.
However, another scene caused a stir in the court when Uuriintuya did not want to leave the witness dock although she had been released as a witness.
Instead she raised her hand saying that she wanted to say something to the court. However, her request was stopped by Mohd Zaki who told her to step down from the dock.
Uuriintuya did not leave the witness dock but insisted that she wanted to make a statement. To this, Mohd Zaki then asked her why and Uuriintuya said there was no record of their entry to Malaysia via Beijing as well.
"It has been deleted. I wonder why our record entering Malaysia has been deleted?" she asked.
At this juncture, Mohd Zaki told her "you have been finally allowed to leave Malaysia. Why are you complaining."
Manoj then stood up and told the court that Uuriintuya was no longer the prosecution witness and that the court was not the proper forum for statements adding that Uuriintuya could address her complain through other forum.
Earlier, replying to a question from Manoj during re-examination, Uuriintuya said when she received threats from Balasubramaniam and Suras Kumar, she felt scared and wanted to go back to Mongolia.
"Manoj: When you told this to Altantuya, what did Altantuya tell you?
Uuriintuya: Altantuya told if you two (Uuriintuya and Namiraa) go back (to Mongolia), she would stay behind.
Manoj: When did you have this discussion?
Uuriintuya: It was before Oct 19 but I can't remember the exact date.
Manoj: Why didn't you go back (to Mongolia)?
Uuriintuya: Because we were worried something bad would happen to her (Altantuya) since Suras Kumar and Balasubramaniam were always following them.
On another question by Manoj on why did the three of them (Altantuya, Namiraa and Uuriintuya) allowed Suras Kumar to enter their hotel room since he was threatening them, Uuriintuya said "every time Altantuya opened the door".
Manoj: You know why Altantuya does that? Why she let him in?
Uuriintuya: I don't know why. They always talk to each other.
Manoj: When Altantuya let Suras Kumar in a few times, did you not ask Altantuya why she let him in?
Uuriintuya: Yes, I did ask her.
Manoj: What was her response?
Uurintuya: Altantuya said she believe Suras Kumar is Abdul Razak's bodyguard. I can see Abdul Razak through Suras Kumar.
To another question by Manoj on why she didn't leave her hotel room on the night Suras Kumar came to sleep for five hours, Uuriintuya said: "By right he (Suras Kumar) has to leave (the room). It is our room but he didn't leave."
Manoj: You also did not call anyone for help like hotel security when Suras Kumar was sleeping in your room?
Uuriintuya: All three of us didn't call the security for help. If we leave, I was afraid something would happen. So we three try to sleep together. So three of us didn't want to separate.
Manoj: So the three of you were standing for five hours in the room?
Uuriintuya: There were two chairs and one table in the room. So we took turns to sit and stand. I was sitting as I was pregnant at that time but we didn't sleep.
Manoj: You left the room after Suras Kumar left?
Uuriintuya: After some time Suras Kumar left, we went out and told the (hotel) manager.
To another question on why she did not lodge a police report about the harassment and threats by Suras Kumar, Uuriintuya said: "because Altantuya told us if we make a police report, Razak Baginda is a big shot, so he knows a lot of police officers. So it is no point lodging a police report."
However, she told the court that they (the three of them) had no choice but to finally make a police report on Oct 19 as "it was too much to bear."
Altantuya Paid US$600 To Investigate Her Husband - Private Eye
SHAH ALAM, June 26 (Bernama) -- A private investigator told the High Court here Tuesday that Altantuya Shaariibuu hired him for US$600 to investigate political analyst Abdul Razak Abdullah Baginda whom the Mongolian woman claimed was her husband.
Ang Chong Beng, 56, said Altantuya, whom he knew by the name Amina, had asked him to find Abdul Razak's house and see whether her husband was in Malaysia or abroad.
He also identified Altantuya or Amina when Deputy Public Prosecutor Manoj Kurup showed him her photograph.
Ang, who was the fifth prosecution witness in the trial for Altantuya's murder, said that in September 2006, Altantuya contacted him by phone and asked him to meet her at Hotel Malaya in Kuala Lumpur.
Manoj: "What's the purpose of Amina seeing you?"
Ang: "She asked me to investigate her husband."
Manoj: "Investigate what?"
Ang: "Investigate whether her husband was in Malaysia or overseas."
Manoj: "Did Amina tell you her husband's name?"
Ang: "She did. Abdul Razak Abdullah Baginda."
Ang, who gave evidence in Mandarin and was translated into Bahasa Malaysia by a translator, said he then agreed to assist Altantuya find the information required by the woman.
When asked whether payments were made for his services, Ang replied: "She said she would give money when she arrived in Mongolia. On Oct 1, she said she deposited money into my bank, a total of US$600."
Ang told the court that after the meeting at Hotel Malaya in September 2006, he met Altantuya again at the same place on Oct 9, 2006, and this time, Altantuya was accompanied by two other Mongolian women.
He then identified the two women as Uuriintuya Gal Ochir and Namiraa Gerelmaa.
Manoj: "The meeting on the ninth at Hotel Malaya, did Amina ask you to take her anywhere?"
Ang: "Amina asked me to take her to Abdul Razak's office in Jalan Ampang."
Manoj: "Did you do it?"
Ang: "I did. Besides Amina, two other Mongolian women who were with Amina and my assistant followed me."
The witness then told the court that he sent the three of them in his assistant's car to Bangunan Lembaga Getah Asli (LGM) and left them there.
Manoj: "On that day after taking the three women to Bangunan LGM, how long were they there?
Ang: "We waited quite long from 9.30am to about 4.30pm."
Manoj: "Waited where?"
Ang: "Waited by the roadside in front of Bangunan LGM."
Manoj: "How did you know they waited for seven hours?"
Ang: "My assistant told me. He kept contacting me."
Ang said Altantuya and her friends had asked him to send them to the building several times after the first time.
Manoj: "Did you see the Mongolian woman entering the building?"
Ang: "I did, once. I did not follow. I waited in the car. I saw her (Amina) taking a note to a guard to be given to Abdul Razak."
Manoj: "Did you see the content of the note?"
Ang: "No."
Manoj then asked whether he saw two Indian men when he took Altantuya and her friends to the building. Ang replied: "At the time I saw only one Indian man, his name was Bala.
Manoj: "Other than investigating whether Razak Baginda was in Malaysia or not, did Amina ask you to find other information?
Ang: "No. She only told me to investigate where was Razak Baginda's house."
Ang said that on Oct 12, 2006, he managed to find Abdul Razak's house address at Jalan Setiajaya, Bukit Damansara and Altantuya had asked him to take her there several times, however, to his knowledge, Altantuya failed to meet Abdul Razak.
Manoj: "On Oct 17, did you take Amina to Razak Baginda's house?"
Ang: "I did once. At 11pm something."
Manoj: "What's the purpose of Amina going to Razak Baginda's house that late?"
Ang: "Amina was very angry because Razak Baginda didn't want to see her."
Manoj: "Besides Amina, were there other people who followed you?"
Ang: "Only me and Amina."
Manoj: "When arrived at Razak Baginda's house on Oct 17 October, what happened?"
Ang: "I let Amina got out of the car. I stopped far from the place and observed her. Not long after that a police car took Amina to the Brickfields police station."
Ang told the court that before Altantuya was taken by police, Bala (P. Balasubramaniam) was already there since the beginning and then saw Bala and Altantuya talking, however, he did not hear their conversation because he was far from their place.
Manoj: "How long did they talk before a police car arrived?"
Ang: "More or less 10 minutes."
Ang said he could not identify the police personnel who came in a patrol car because the surrounding was dark.
He then said than after Altantuya was taken away in the patrol car to the station, he saw Balasubramaniam and another Indian man boarding a taxi to go to the Brickfields police station.
Manoj: "How did you know Amina was taken to the Brickfields police station?"
Ang: "I followed the patrol car from behind and also went to the Brickfields police station."
In his evidence, Ang said he was stopped by Balasubramaniam who was at the entrance of the police station with Suras (K. Suras Kumar), from entering the station.
"Bala said Razak Baginda was a higher-up man. He did not want Razak's name published in newspapers if anything happens. Bala told me to ask Amina out of the police station and settle it, to tell Amina not to make police report. I said that's good. Everything can end," he said.
Ang said after that that he met and discussed with Altantuya and asked her out of the police station to meet Balasubramaniam and Suras.
In the meeting, Altantuya said she would not make a police report and asked US$500,000 to be given to her by Abdul Razak.
Manoj: "When Amina said this to Bala, where were you?"
Ang: "Beside Amina."
Manoj: "Did Bala say anything?"
Ang: "He did. He said he would speak to Razak Baginda."
Manoj: "Try remember, besides the US$500,000 money, did Amina ask anything else?"
Ang: "I did not know."
The hearing before Justice Datuk Mohd Zaki Md Yasin resumes tomorrow.
Altantuya Hired Me To Check On Abdul Razak - Private Investigator
SHAH ALAM, June 26 (Bernama) -- Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu engaged a private investigator to check on political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda whom she claimed was her husband, the Shah Alam High Court heard Tuesday.
Ang Chong Beng, 56, said Altantuya, whom he knew as "Aminah", had asked him to check where Abdul Razak was and whether her husband was in the country or had gone overseas.
"I received the order from Aminah in September last year when I met her at Hotel Malaya," said the fifth prosecution witness on the seventh day of the high-profile murder trial.
Replying to DPP Manoj Kurup, Ang said he agreed to help Altantuya for US$600 (RM2,100) which she had credited into his account.
Ang admitted sending Altantuya and two other Mongolian women to Abdul Razak's office at Bangunan Lembaga Getah Asli in Ampang several times.
Abdul Razak, 46, is charged with abetting Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri, 31, and Sirul Azhar, 35, both from the police special action squad, of murdering Altantuya, 28, between 10pm on Oct 19 and 1am on Oct 20 last year at Lots 12843 and 16735 in Mukim Bukit Raja, Shah Alam.
The political analyst is accused of abetting them.
Abdul Razak Gave Diamond-studded Gold Ring To Altantuya - Uuriintuya
SHAH ALAM, June 26 (Bernama) -- Uuriintuya Gal-Ochir, a friend of murdered Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu, said political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda presented Altantuya a diamond-studded gold ring as a gift.
Uuriintuya, 30, said she believed the ring was given by Abdul Razak because Altantuya herself told her that it was a gift from her boyfriend.
Besides the ring, she also identified a pair of earrings, which was bought in Mongolia, and a Larmes-brand watch bought in Hong Kong as Altantuya's.
Uuriintuya was giving evidence when questioned by lawyer Karpal Singh, who is holding a watching brief for Altantuya's family and the Mongolian government, in the Altantuya murder trial at the Shah Alam High Court here.
The high-profile murder trial entered the seventh day today.
In the dock is Abdul Razak, 46, who is charged with abetting Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri, 31, and Sirul Azhar, 35, both from the police special action squad, of murdering Altantuya, 28, between 10pm on Oct 19 and 1am on Oct 20 last year at Lots 12843 and 16735 in Mukim Bukit Raja, Shah Alam.
The political analyst is accused of abetting them in the murder.
Uuriintuya denied that she demanded money from Abdul Razak.
"I also don't know whether Altantuya and her private investigator Ang Chong Beng demanded money from the political analyst," she said.
Cross-examined by Wong Kian Kheong, she disagreed to a suggestion by the Abdul Razak's counsel that she had run out of money after a week in Malaysia.
Uuriintuya, who accompanied Altantuya to Malaysia on Oct 8 last year, admitted that despite being harassed and threatened by Abdul Razak's two private investigators and having lodged a police report on their disturbances, she, Altantuya and Altantuya's cousin, Namiraa Gerelmaa, still went to Abdul Razak's house on Oct 19.
She also said that she had never met Abdul Razak before Altantuya went missing after going to the political analyst's house on the night of Oct 19.
We Did Not Come To KL To Extort Money - Uuriintuya
SHAH ALAM, June 26 (Bernama) -- Uuriintuya Gal-Ochir, a friend of the murdered Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu, denied in the High Court here Tuesday that she, Altantuya and Altantuya's cousin, Namiraa Gerelmaa, came to Malaysia to extort money from political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda.
Uuriintuya, 30, also rejected a suggestion from Kamarul Hisham Kamaruddin, the counsel for Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar, the second accused in the Altantuya murder trial, that private investigator Ang Chong Beng was hired by Altantuya to help achieve their plan.
The fourth prosecution witness, who continued her testimony today, also refuted another suggestion from Kamarul Hisham that she knew that private investigator P. Balasubramaniam and his assistant, K. Suras Kumar, were engaged by Abdul Razak to protect him from them.
Kamarul Hisham made the three suggestions when cross-examining Uuriintuya on why she did not ask Altantuya, 28, anything about Abdul Razak and the harassment from Balasubramaniam and Suras Kumar during their stay in Malaysia in October last year.
Abdul Razak, 46, is charged with abetting Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri, 31, and Sirul Azhar, 35, both from the police special action squad, of murdering Altantuya between 10pm on Oct 19 and 1am on Oct 20 last year at Lots 12843 and 16735 in Mukim Bukit Raja, Shah Alam.
The political analyst is accused of committing the offence between 9.54am on Oct 18 and 9.45pm on Oct 19 last year at his office in Bangunan Lembaga Getah Asli in Ampang.
Earlier, Uuriintuya was asked to identify Altantuya's pair of earrings and a white diamond-studded gold ring.
Uuriintuya said she saw Altantuya wearing the jewellery and a watch before she went missing after going to Abdul Razak's house on the night of Oct 19.
Eric Chia Acquitted
KUALA LUMPUR, June 26 (Bernama) -- The Sessions Court here today acquitted and discharged Tan Sri Eric Chia Eng Hock, the former managing director of Perwaja Steel Sdn Bhd, without calling for his defence on charges of criminal breach of trust involving RM76.4 million.
Judge Akhtar Tahir said the prosecution had failed to adduce sufficient evidence to establish a prima facie case against Chia.
The prosecution, led by Senior Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Yusof Zainal Abiden, closed its case on May 4 after calling 29 witnesses.
On Feb 10 2004, Chia, 74, pleaded not guilty to the original charge of CBT of the same amount by dishonestly authorising the payment of the amount to the account of Frilsham Enterprise Incorporated with American Express Bank Ltd in Hong Kong for technical assistance provided in Gurun when no such payment was due.
Alternatively, six months later, he was charged with dishonestly disposing of the funds by entering into an agreement with NKK Corporation of Japan and authorising the payment of the amount without the approval of the board of directors or tender committee of Perwaja Rolling Mill and Development Sdn Bhd.
He was charged with having committed both offences in his capacity as managing director of Perwaja Rolling Mill and Development Sdn Bhd at its office in Menara UBN in Jalan P. Ramlee here between Nov 4 1993 and Feb 22 1994.
On both counts, he was charged under Section 409 of the Penal Code which carries a jail term of between two and 20 years and whipping, and the liability of a fine upon conviction.
Chia, who was represented by lead counsel Datuk Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, was allowed to sit behind the defence team due to his brittle diabetic condition.
Both DPP Yusof and Muhammad Shafee summed up their arguments verbally on May 31 and June 1, respectively.
Yusof closed the prosecution's case in 34 pages, covering all evidence obtained from witnesses including from Hong Kong, Japan, Zurich and Geneva, while Muhammed Shafee's summing-up was contained in a 300-page document.
The Truth Finally Prevails, Says Eric Chia
KUALA LUMPUR, June 26 (Bernama) -- "The truth has finally prevailed. It is like mixing water with oil. After a while, the water will float and the oil will sink," said Tan Sri Eric Chia Eng Hock, former managing director of Perwaja Steel Sdn Bhd, after the Sessions Court acquitted him of criminal breach of trust charges involving RM76.4 million Tuesday.
Although his acquittal was a happy moment for him, Chia lamented that the trial had ruined his family life and he was leading a broken life after his children decided to settle down abroad.
He said that his 45-year-old son and 33-year-old daughter, driven by embarrassment, moved to United States and Hong Kong, respectively, and would only visit him once a year and call him occasionally.
"Yes, I can move on with my life but what about my broken family. You don't have a family. How do you proceed with your life?" he said, adding that he had not seen his children for years.
Chia said that for him, Malaysia was his home and he would live and die here.
Chia said he also lost his friends when the trial began and some of his friends accused him of being a crook.
"I went to Perwaja after (former prime minister)Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad asked me to. He told me in 1988 that I had to return the favour to the land," he said.
Chia said he would visit Tibet to perform prayers to thank God for his acquittal.
tunku : what say raja petra and the opposition group, the judge has been bought by eric chia? i'm sure if he was found guilty then certain group will pull Tun Dr Mahathir in.truth prevails
No faith in Anwar, Ezam quits PKR
PKR has been dealt with yet another blow. Its ex-Youth chief Ezam Mohd Nor has decided to quit the opposition party.
Ezam told malaysiakini today that he had lost faith in the leadership, including in his mentor and the party’s de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim.
Ezam, who has been with the party since its inception in 1999, also did not rule out the possibility of returning to Umno or joining PAS.
The 40-year-old politician, who was Anwar’s former political secretary prior to the latter’s sacking as deputy prime minister in 1998, revealed that he is discussing with both parties.
Ezam had stepped down as Youth chief and Shah Alam PKR chief four months ago.
The opposition party has seen several members and leaders quitting of late, a situation which certain quarters blame Anwar for.
Azmin the 'de facto' leader
According to Ezam, he had informed the party’s Shah Alam division through a letter on April 4 of his decision to quit.
“I don’t see any sincerity among the party leadership to resolve the crisis in PKR. I no longer have trust in his (Anwar) sincerity to consolidate the party,” he said when contacted.
Ezam also accused Anwar of behaving like a “dictator” but described him as a “weak” leader. He also claimed that Anwar was being “controlled” by PKR vice-president Azmin Ali.
He also cited several incidents linked to the PKR’s party elections last month, where he claimed that Anwar had lent strong backing to Azmin at the expense of others.
Ezam and Azmin - who was Anwar’s former private secretary - had openly locked horns when Azmin had vied for deputy presidency while Ezam wanted the status quo to remain.
According to Ezam, the final blow for him was when Anwar allegedly instructed the Permatang Pauh division not to nominate any candidate for the No 2 post.
“To me, (Dr) Syed Husin (Ali) is the incumbent (deputy president), if he (Anwar) asked the division not to nominate Syed Husin, it means Anwar was supporting Azmin.
“Why can’t Anwar be firm and say 'no' to Azmin?” he asked.
Ezam claimed that Anwar’s instruction was also one of the reasons which led to PKR Permatang Pauh chief Anuar Shaari quitting the party.
Azmin later withdrew from the contest and sought to defend his vice-presidency instead. It was said that he had made the decision after Anwar advised him to do so following Syed Husin’s change of heart to continue in the post and stand in the elections.
“Since Anwar stopped Azmin from contesting for deputy presidency, he (Azmin) then stopped Anwar from going for the top post,” claimed Ezam.
He was referring to Anwar’s decision to pull out from the contest for presidency at the eleventh hour.
'Just like KJ'
Anwar, who had been adamant in defying a Registrar of Societies (ROS) ruling banning him from running, withdrew after the party’s supreme council met hours before the elections and decided that he should not risk the party from being de-registered by defying the ban.
According to Ezam, Anwar’s last-minute withdrawal caused unhappiness among party members.
He said Anwar should have initiated consultations at the outset to avoid a top level contest which could harm the party. The race for presidency, he added, “created a lot of trouble.”
“There was no effort to talk to Abdul Rahman Othman (another candidate) since the beginning. But Abdul Rahman withdrew (on the day of the elections) after Anwar talked to him the day before.
“This means Abdul Rahman would have withdrawn if they had approached him (earlier) and Anwar would be the president now.
“We can fight the ROS ruling... It is important for Anwar to be an elected leader, he is like a dictator now by making himself a de facto leader,” he added.
Ezam also accused Azmin (left) for preventing Anwar from talking to Abdul Rahman.
“Anwar is not firm. Why does he allow Azmin to behave in the same way as the prime minister (Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) allows KJ (his son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin) to (allegedly) control him?”
“This is the man (Azmin) who is detrimental to the party,” he alleged. “A lot of genuine leaders have left but why does Anwar hold on to him, I don’t understand.”
Political future
On why he had kept quiet for two months about his decision to quit PKR, Ezam said he was worried about the repercussions of his decision on the Ijok by-election and party congress.
He also revealed that Anwar had wanted to meet him several days before the congress but he had turned down the proposal.
“I have nothing personal against him (Anwar), but politically it is over,” he said in response to a question.
On his next move, Ezam said as for now, he has no intention to join any political party or contest in the coming general elections.
However, the former PKR leader said he is keeping his options open.
“I don’t deny that there is a series of talks with PAS and Umno. The more serious one is with PAS since I have met their top leaders. With Umno, several of their state and divisional leaders have met me,” he added.
Meanwhile, Ezam said he is also seeking an appointment with the prime minister this Friday to forward corruption evidence against a senior minister.
Asked whether the meeting would also include his political plans, he replied: “If (Abdullah’s) secretaries want to talk about politics, I have no problem.”
tunku : at last you realize that he is a moron leader.anyway better to be late than never realize like the morons who think anwar is the "leader".to me anwar is history and ijok result clarifies my claim.of course azmin is everything to anwar, azmin has sacrifice a lot for anwar to the extend he sacrificed his wife(shamsidar) to anwar.you are right when you said anwar is not firm, a bi sexual can never be firmed.but i hope umno will not accept you, but your chances to join umno is very strong as they will use you to fight pkr.to me all those who joined pkr are losers and morons.
Tan Sri Musa Hassan's Explanation
All The Accusations Are Slander, Says IGP
KUALA LUMPUR, June 25 (Bernama) -- "I am not angry with all the accusations (hurled at me) because they are slander," was the response from Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan when asked about the allegations posted on a blogsite(Malaysia Today)linking him to corruption.
Musa said it would be pointless for him to entertain the allegations because they were false and it was up to the people whether they wanted to believe them or otherwise.
"There are so many websites nowadays. Everybody can write what they want... globalisation... so let them (the people) evaluate," he told reporters when asked to comment on a report posted on the "Malaysia Today" blogsite which alleged that Musa was involved in corruption and had been influenced by heads of crime syndicates in deciding on the positions of senior police officers.
Musa declined to elaborate on the matter, saying that such wild allegations would not jeopardise his responsibilities as the chief of police.
"I don't want to talk... because they (allegations) are false and I'm not at all bothered by them because my genuine intention is only to improve the (police) force and ensure that all police officers and men discharge their duties well," he said.
Asked whether he was contemplating legal action against the blogsite and the author of the report, Musa declined comment.
He said his objective and mission when he was appointed to the top post in the force had never changed, particularly in the eradication of corruption.
"I never changed my strategy... and I'm still carrying out my responsibilities to improve the force, and the cooperation of the people is most necessary, particularly in helping me to improve the force," he said.
No Cronyism In Appointment Of Police Officers, Says IGP
KUALA LUMPUR, June 25 (Bernama) -- Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan said today the appointment of senior police officers is made based on their work performance and not because of favouritism or cronyism.
"There is no cronyism in the selection of police officers to senior positions. I appoint officers based on their work performance," he told reporters after the handing over of duties for the post of director of management at Bukit Aman here.
Datuk Ismail Omar, who was Selangor Chief Police Officer, took over as Director of Management from Datuk Amir Sulaiman who went on mandatory retirement in May.
Musa said he was not to be blamed if police officers were transferred or did not get promoted as they would have to evaluate for themselves the work they had done.
"I don't believe in cronyism. I prefer those (police officers) who discharge their duties well and show good work performance," he said.
He said a police officer's relationship with him might be excellent but that was no ticket to a promotion.
Apart from work excellence, sincerity in discharging one's duties was also taken into consideration to ensure that the appointed officer portrays a good image of the force and to society, he said.
Musa reminded all promoted officers to give their best to the post and not feel proud or happy because of self-interest.
He said they should work hard and not just hope for their subordinates to do all the work.
"If they do not discharge their duties, it only means that they have failed. There have been cases of hardworking and sincere officers slacking in their duty once they get promoted," he said.
Musa also reminded all state and district police chiefs to always remain close to the people to facilitate cooperation.
The cordial relations would facilitate the flow of more information to the police, particularly in the identification of criminal gangs, he added.
"If all directives are followed and they undertake their responsibilities to the best of their ability, surely there will be no complaints from the public against the police force," he said.
tunku: at last Tan Sri Musa break his silence.It's a good move but i still think Tan Sri Musa should take action against Malaysia Today if it is false accusation. Everyone knows including Tan Sri Musa the owner of Malaysia Today that is raja petra.If Tan Sri Musa did not take any action on this accusations than there will be doubt on people minds.It's true that people can evaluate but the doubt will be there and people will not stop talking about it.This will indirectly question Tan Sri Musa's credibility.If it's not true then please sue raja petra.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Altantuya Murder Case 25/7/07
Altantuya Wore Diamond Ring, Branded Watch, Court Told
SHAH ALAM, June 25 (Bernama) -- A friend of Altantuya Shaariibuu testified at the sixth day murder trial that the part-time model wore what looked like a diamond-studded gold ring, a Larmes silver watch and earrings with black stones on the day she left the hotel alone to go to Abdul Razak Abdullah Baginda's house.
Uuriintuya Gal Ochir, 30, a housewife, said Altantuya, 28, wore an Esprit black jacket, Levi's dark blue jeans, Gucci sandals and a small, black Fendi sling bag.
"She (Altantuya) had on her a watch, earrings with black stones and a special-looking ring. Maybe diamond, I am not sure," said the fourth prosecution witness when questioned by Deputy Public Prosecutor Manoj Kurup.
Uuriintuya also told the High Court here that she did not know the brand of the watch Altantuya was wearing but was told by her friend Burmaa Oyuchimeng that it was branded and expensive.
The Larmes watch was tendered in court and Uuriintuya identified and confirmed that the watch belonged to Altantuya.
She said she was called by the police between Nov 10 and 14 last year to identify the items belonging to Altantuya which was handled by DSP Gan Tack Guan.
Uuriintuya will identify two more items belonging to Altantuya at tomorrow's hearing.
Earlier, She testified that after making the police report on Oct 20, 2006 on the missing Altantuya, she, Namiraa Gerelmaa and Altantuya's private investigator Ang Chong Beng went to Abdul Razak's house from 9pm to 10pm.
Manoj: Why did the three of you go there?
Uuriintuya: Because her disappearance was directly related to Razak Baginda.
Manoj: What happened at Razak Baginda's house when the three of you were there?
Uuriintuya: Outside the house, Ang asked where Altantuya was.
Manoj: Did you see Razak at the house?
Uuriintuya: No.
Manoj: As this was going on, did the police arrive?
Uuriintuya: Yes. The police arrived in two cars. P. Balasubramaniam too arrived in a black Mercedes Benz. He was on the phone. He passed the phone to the police officer who then talked on Bala's phone. After that, they left. Then we left.
When the prosecution called for Insp Mohd Faizol Azuhan Che Omar (who was at Abdul Razak's house) for identification purpose, there was a slight commotion when Uuriintuya charged that the policeman had received money from Burmaa through the taxi driver.
Manoj: I'm going to ask about the passing of the money. You said you saw the taxi driver give money to the policeman at the police station. When was that?
Uuriintuya: I can't remember the exact date, but Burmaa had already come from Hong Kong then. Maybe on Oct 22 or Oct 23.
Manoj: When you said you saw the taxi driver give money to the police, that was some other day?
Uuriintuya: Yes. Some other day, some other place.
When Manoj asked if she knew why the taxi driver gave money, Uuriintuya said it was to look for Altantuya, so the driver took the money from Burmaa.
There was laughter in court after Uuriintuya described the taxi driver as being without spectacles and bald, but when the driver Ong Ah Hoon entered the courtroom for identification purpose, it was noticed that he was only bald in the centre of his head.
Manoj then said, "he is not bald". At this juncture, Uuriintuya gestured by putting her hand at the centre of her head.
On the connection between herself and K. Suras Kumar, Abdul Razak's private investigator's assistant, Uuriintuya said Suras Kumar was always tailing the three of them who were staying at Hotel Malaya and had frightened them by saying that Abdul Razak would kill them.
Manoj: How many times did Suras come to your room like that?
Uuriintuya: About five times. The last time he came to the hotel, the hotel people didn't allow him to enter our room. Suras once slept on one of our beds. We were scared. We just stood around. He slept from 5am to 10am.
Manoj: When he came to the room, what did he want?
Uuriintuya: He threatened us and also Altantuya asked Suras to see Razak Baginda once. I don't understand English, but I asked Altantuya. Suras always said that RB was going to kill us, and that we should return to Mongolia.
Manoj: As a result of all this, did you lodge a police report?
Uuriintuya: Yes. Alantuya and I went to the police to lodge a report. It was in the afternoon of Oct 19, 2006. I can't remember the time.
While Altantuya was lodging the report, I was outside smoking. I saw Suras was riding a motorbike, making a circle.
To another question, Uuriintuya said Altantuya insisted to go to Abdul Razak's house alone although she told her not to do so.
"I told her that all three of us should go. But she was on the phone, sending a message. Maybe she received a message asking her to go alone. She kept insisting that if she went alone, Razak Baginda would see her. She was very confident that he would see if she was alone," Uuriintuya said.
Earlier, Uuriintuya was seen trying to keep herself calm but nevertheless shed a few tears when shown Altantuya's picture by the court interpreter.
Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri, 30, and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar, 35, from Bukit Aman Special Action Squad are charged with murdering Altantuya, 28, at a location between Lot 12843 and Lot 16735, Mukim Bukit Raja, near here, between 10pm on Oct 19 and 1am on Oct 20, last year.
Abdul Razak, 46, is charged with abetting the two policemen and the offence is alleged to have been committed in the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur between 9.54am on Oct 18 and 9.45pm on Oct 19, last year.
The hearing before judge Datuk Mohd Zaki Md Yasin continues tomorrow.
Altantuya's Cousin Shocked Over Contradictions In Police Report
SHAH ALAM, June 25 (Bernama) -- Namiraa Gerelmaa, a cousin of the murdered Mongolian model, Altantuya Shaariibuu, told the High Court here today that she was shocked over several contradictions in the police report she lodged following Altantuya's disappearance in October last year.
Cross-examined by Kamarul Hisham Kamarudin, the counsel for Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar, the second accused in the Altantuya murder trial, she said several information in the report including that political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda was Altantuya's husband were never given by her.
Kamarul: You said you only said four things in the report: when you came and where you stayed, when Altantuya went missing, where did she go and why she went. Doesn't it surprise you that the report said... on 19.10.06 at about 1900 while at Hotel Malaya, my friend Altantuya received a phone call from an Indian man that her husband had asked him to invite my friend to go to No 22 Jalan Setiajaya Damansara Heights?
Namiraa: This is not my words, so I am so surprise.
Namiraa, 23, the third prosecution witness, also denied that she passed the information to Altantuya's friend, Burmaa Oyunchimeg, over the telephone after Altantuya did not return to the hotel after she went to Abdul Razak's house on the night of Oct 19.
"I told Burmaa, Altantuya called and after that she didn't call and disappeared. I didn't say those words," said Namiraa, who testified in Mongolian language and was translated to English by Mongolian interpreter Enkhjargal Tsetsgee.
Sirul Azhar, 35, and Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri, 30, both from the police special action squad, are charged with murdering Altantuya, 28, at lots 12843 and 16735 in Mukim Bukit Raja, Shah Alam, between 10pm on Oct 19 and 1am on Oct 20 last year. Abdul Razak, 46, is accused of abetting them.
Namiraa, in her testimony last week, said she contacted Burmaa in Hong Kong to inform her that Altantuya was missing between 11pm and 12 midnight on Oct 19.
Since Namiraa was not fluent in English, Burmaa contacted Ang Chong Beng, the private investigator engaged by Altantuya, and told him about Altantuya's disappearance to facilitate Namiraa to lodge a police report.
Kamarul: Did you hear the phone conversation between Burmaa and Ang?
Namiraa: I don't understand English but I heard the conversation.
Kamarul: So you wouldn't know whether Burmaa told Ang about this information?
Namiraa: Burmaa translated (from Mongolia) to Ang (in English).
When giving evidence on Friday, Namiraa denied giving this information in her police report.
+ "My friend got a phone call from an Indian man saying her (Altantuya) husband had asked him to bring my friend to No 22, Jalan Setiajaya, Damansara Heights (Abdul Razak's house).
+ "Later at about 8pm, my friend (Altantuya) contacted me to say that she had reached the house of her husband Abdul Razak Baginda at No 22, Jalan Setiajaya, Damansara Heights.
+. "For information, my friend is married to Abdul Razak bin Abdullah.
Abdul Razak Sent Two Men To Kill Altantuya, Witness Testifies
SHAH ALAM, June 25 (Bernama) -- The High Court here Monday heard that political analyst Abdul Razak Abdullah Baginda, who is charged with abetting the murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu, sent two men to throw the Mongolian woman and two others out of a hotel window.
Namiraa Gerelmaa, 23, from Ulan Bator, Mongolia, said she, Altantuya and their friend Uuriintuya Gal Ochir were visited a number of times at their hotel by K. Suras Kumar, the assistant of a private investigator hired by the accused, to threaten to kill them.
"None of Suras's visits were friendly. Everytime (he came), he said `Razak Baginda send me to kill you'. Of course it was not pleasant," said Namiraa during re-examination by Deputy Public Prosecutor Manoj Kurup.
Namiraa: Suras came to our room about two to three times in October 2006, each visit for half an hour to five hours. He once slept on our bed from 5am to 10 am. We were standing around, scared and didn't sleep.
Manoj: Why did he come to your room?
Namiraa: Everytime he visited he pressured us, threatened to kill and throw us out of the window. Namiraa said besides Suras Kumar, private investigator P. Balasubramaniam also once came to the hotel lobby and threatened to throw them out of the hotel room window.
Judge Datuk Mohd Zaki Md Yasin: Did you yourself hear that Bala wanted to throw you out of the window?
Namiraa: I was told by Altantuya. She was crying and telling us.
Namiraa, who is Altantuya's cousin, said Altantuya and Uuriintuya lodged a police report the next day about the threat by Balasubramaniam and Suras Kumar.
Namiraa: The three of us were under pressure. Bala and Suras always threatened to throw us out of the window. Everyday Suras came to our hotel room between 3am and 4am, knocking our door. Bala and Suras always said Razak Baginda was going to kill us.
So, in the morning, Uuriintuya and Altantuya went to the police station to lodge a report. I knew she was under a lot of pressure.
Namiraa denied that Suras Kumar had a close relationship with one of them, as earlier suggested by Razak's counsel Wong Kian Kheong.
Namiraa, when questioned by Wong during cross-examination, had said that the threat from Balasubramaniam and Suras Kumar began four days after their arrival in Malaysia on Oct 8, 2006.
Namiraa: Suras was knocking our room door three or four days, so we called the hotel manager.
KK Wong: When Suras and Bala threatened to throw you out of the window, did you lodge a police report against them?
Namiraa: No.
KK Wong: How many days approximately that the late Altantuya went missing after she lodged the police report?
Namiraa: She made the report against Suras and Bala in the afternoon of Oct 19, 2006.
KK Wong: Despite all these threats and after the late Altantuya lodged a report, the three of you still went to the third accused's house by taxi in the evening of Oct 19, 2006?
Namiraa: Yes.
KK Wong: After all of you went back to the hotel, you said Altantuya wanted to go alone to the third accused's house. Did you ask why she persisted to go after many failed attempts to meet him?
Namiraa: Uuriintuya asked.
KK Wong: In view of the threats and the report lodged, were you worried for Altantuya's safety when she went alone to the third accused's house?
Namiraa: Yes, I was so worried.
KK Wong: Despite your worry, you still allowed Altantuya to go and see the third accused alone?
Namiraa: Yes.
KK Wong: I put it to you that the third accused never threatened the three of you.
Namiraa: Of course he did, he sent someone.
Namiraa also disagreed with counsel's suggestion that Abdul Razak did not send the two men to threaten the three of them.
She also claimed that she had never asked from Abdul Razak for money or air ticket to return to Mongolia, adding that she did not know whether Altantuya had asked for money from the accused.
She was further queried by Wong on her intention of coming to Malaysia on Oct 8, 2006.
KK Wong: You mentioned last Friday that you and Uuriintuya came to Malaysia to study.
Namiraa: Not to study but to find out about the English course available in Malaysia.
KK Wong: Do you agree that you can find out about the course in Mongolia itself? In the Internet?
Namiraa: I disagree.
KK Wong: Have you been to any university or college offering English course?
Namiraa: No, I only called.
KK Wong: Which university or college?
Namiraa: HELP Centre.
Questioned further, Namiraa disagreed with counsel's suggestion that she could contact the institute direct from Mongolia without coming to Malaysia, saying that she was not proficient in English (to talk to HELP).
She also denied lying about the purpose of her visit, and during re-examination, stated that it was to see the country and to find about the language course that she could pursue, and not to threaten anyone.
Questioned by counsel Hazman Abdullah, who is representing Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri, Namiraa said she followed the news on Altantuya's death on television on Nov 27, 2006 after her return to Mongolia.
Namiraa: The news report said that a Mongolian woman was brutally murdered in Malaysia, shot twice and bombed. There was a video clip showing her picture, the scene (of the murder) and who is the murderer, Razak Baginda.
Namiraa said that a few days after lodging the police report on the missing Altantuya on Oct 20, 2006, she gave a police statement which was recorded by Sergeant Hussain Abu Bakar.
Azilah, 30, and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar, 35, from the police Special Action Squad are charged with the murder of Altantuya, 28, between Lot 12843 and Lot 16735, Mukim Bukit Raja, near here, between 10pm on Oct 19 and 1am on Oct 20, 2006.
Abdul Razak, 46, is charged with abetting the murder and is alleged to have committed the offence in the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur between 9.54am on Oct 18 and 9.45pm on Oct 19, 2006.
The hearing continues.
Abdul Razak Baginda Threatened To Kill Us, Says Witness
SHAH ALAM, June 25 (Bernama) -- Namiraa Gerelmaa, the third witness in the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder trial, told the High Court here Monday that she, her cousin (Altantuya) and their friend Gal Ochir Uuriintuya had lodged a police report on Oct 19, 2006 because Abdul Razak Abdullah Baginda threatened to kill them.
Namiraa, 23, who accompanied Altantuya to Malaysia to look for the political analyst, said the threatening message was related to them by Abdul Razak's private investigator P. Balasubramaniam and his assistant K. Suras Kumar.
"Suras Kumar and Balasubramaniam threatened to kill us, to throw us out of the window. Every night, around 3am to 5am, Suras came to the hotel and forcefully knocked on the door to enter our room," she said during the examination-in-chief by Deputy Public Prosecutor Manoj Kurup.
Today was Namiraa's second day to be called to the witness stand. Namiraa, who spoke in Mongolian and translated into English by Mongolian interpreter Engkhjargal Tsetsgee, was the first called to the stand last Friday.
Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri, 30, and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar, 35, from the police Special Action Squad are charged with murdering Altantuya, 28, at a location between lots 12843 and 16735, Mukim Bukit Raja, here between 10pm on Oct 19 and 1am on Oct 20 last year.
Abdul Razak, 46, is charged with abetting them between 9.54am on Oct 18 last year and 9.45pm the following day in the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur.
Abdul Razak Arrives In Court With New Look
SHAH ALAM, June 25 (Bernama) -- Abdul Razak Baginda's new hairstyle did not go unnoticed by the crowd when he arrived at the court complex here at 9.05am Monday.
His wife Mazlinda Makhzan who, as usual, was waiting for his arrival since early morning was smiling and heard calling out to him, "Razak, nice haircut!"
They were then seen walking hand in hand towards the court building.
Abdul Razak, 46, is charged with abetting the murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu, 28, in the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur between 9.54am on Oct 18 and 9.45pm on Oct 19, last year.
Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri, 30, and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar, 35, from the police Special Action Squad are charged with murdering the Mongolian part-time model between Lots 12843 and 16735, Mukim Bukit Raja, here between 10pm on Oct 19 and 1am on Oct 20, last year.
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