Daniyar possibly a M'sian citizen, says New York lawyer

Daniyar Nazarbayev, who is engaged to marry Prime Minister Najib Razak's daughter Nooryana Najwa, could already be a Malaysian citizen, according to documents filed in a New York court.

"Daniyar is believed to be a citizen of Kazakhstan and Malaysia. His current residency is not known," said John Snyder, who is lawyer for Daniyar's former stepfather Bolat Nazarbayev.

The documents are made available online by the court.

Bolat, who is brother of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, is suing 24-year-old Daniyar for swindling him of a US$20 million (RM62 million) Plaza Hotel condominium unit and two other posh apartments on Wall Street.

Also named in the suit is Daniyar's mother Maira, who was married to Bolat for about 10 years.

According the documents filed in the Manhattan Supreme Court, the couple's marriage was annulled last year. It said that Bolat had allegedly found out that Maira was wanted by the authorities for "crimes including kidnapping and extortion".

Bolat claimed that Daniyar was supposed to put the apartment in his (Bolat's) name but had instead added his mother's. About eight months later, she sold the apartment to Daniyar for US$1.

Also revealed in the law suit was the accusation that Daniyar had allegedly forged his educational records to gain entry to Columbia University.

'Private family matter'

Maira in an email statement sent to Malaysiakini through a New York-based public relations company yesterday dismissed the allegations against her son as "absurd".

"This is a private family matter which has been manipulated and exploited by parties with political interests," said Maira.

Maira also denied claims she and Bolat (right) were divorced.

"I consider myself married and in a good relationship with my husband. And I've never seen a document related to divorce. I've never signed anything nor have I received anything," she was reported as saying in New York Post.

On Wednesday, a source close to Najib's wife Rosmah Mansor said the allegations were "exaggerated".

These allegations include that Daniyar's real family name should be Kesikbayev and not Nazarbayev - the latter is a family name that carries much influence in Kazakhstan.

Maira had reportedly changed Daniyar's family name after marrying Bolat in 2001.

Controversial engagement party

According to a Bernama report, Najib's daughter Nooryana met the dashing Kazakh while both were studying in the US. They were engaged in June last year.

Nooryana's engagement dinner became a controversy when the hefty bill was allegedly paid by the Prime Minister's Department.

However, the hotel where the engagement party was held clarified that Najib paid for the RM400,000 bill, which include a dinner of lobster bisque and wagyu beef for 900 guests.