There
are several conflicting details regarding slain Mongolian national
Altantuya Shaariibuu, which has come to light following claims by French
police in their investigation papers that she never entered France from
1999 t0 2006.
On Jan 19, political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda (right) had claimed in a witness statement that he had met Altantuya - whom he called Aminah - at the end of 2004 and middle of 2005.
Recorded on Oct 31, 2006, 12 days after her murder by military explosives, the statement said Razak had met the Mongolian "in various places - Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, France and Kuala Lumpur".
Photos of her trip to France were published in an Asia Sentinel article headlined 'Who was Altantuya Shaariibuu?', written by John Berthelsen on Dec 5, 2007.
Razak, who was acquitted of her murder in 2008 without his defence being called, said he had a 'relationship' with her and paid her US$10,000 (RM35,000) on several occasions.
But he stopped giving her money on Oct 23, 2006, when he could no longer tolerate her repeated "harassment".
The details were reported in Bernama on Jan 19, 2007, during Razak's application for bail after being charged with the murder of Altantuya, at the Shah Alam High Court.
This story does not tally with the French police investigation report which first appeared in online news portal Free Malaysia Today headlined 'French probe: Altantuya never entered France'.
The report also squashed claims that Altantuya worked as a translator for Razak in the Paris deal as she does not speak French.
Model, mistress or translator?
Questions then arise as to Altantuya's work and her relationship with Razak, well-known to be a close ally of Prime Minister Najib Razak.
While Razak has admitted that Altantuya was his mistress, her father - Setev Shaariibuu - on Jun 15, 2007, at a press conference with several NGOs in Kuala Lumpur revealed that the duo had a business relationship.
"She was a professional translator for the past five years (2001-1006). She worked for (Razak) Baginda.
"She did not have a relationship with him," he had told reporters then, pointing out misinformation in the press surrounding his daughter's identity.
He had also revealed a document indicating that there were business relations between his daughter and Razak, who currently lives in London, with his wife and daughter.
Shaariibuu (right) had repeated the claim of
his daughter's work in court on Jun 21, 2007, when he described
Altantuya as having a "jet-setting life" as a professional translator
and interpreter.
"She travelled most frequently to Malaysia, Singapore and China, but also travelled to many other countries."
The French are currently investigating the deal, where huge amount of kickbacks were allegedly paid to top Malaysian officials.
Human rights NGO - Suaram - had filed a case against French submarine maker - DCNS - for allegedly paying the kickbacks, which was said to have benefited Najib and Umno.
Najib, was then deputy prime minister and defence minister, in charge of the procurement of the two scorpene class submarines in a massive RM7.3 billion deal inked in 2002.
Najib and Razak have both vehemently denied involvement in the case.
Entered France as 'Aminah'?
Meanwhile, now a question mark is hanging over whether or not Altantuya had entered France via another name as she is also known as 'Aminah' to both her father and Razak.
According to Setev, however, 'Aminah' is not a Muslim name but a term Mongolians used to described their eldest daughter.
Altantuya was also known to V Bala Subramaniam - a private investigator hired by Razak - who testified in court on Jun 18, 2007, that a Mongolian national named Aminah had visited the political analyst at his office on Oct 9 the previous year.
Bala (left) had claimed that Razak had hired him for RM4,000 a month to prevent Altantuya from either meeting or threatening him.
He later made a statutory declaration disclosing that police had omitted information about the relationship between Najib and Altantuya during their investigation.
He retracted the statutory declaration the following day and replaced it with one that erased all traces of links between Najib and the Mongolian woman.
Bala then disappeared with his family and later re-emerged, claiming that his life had been threatened, and admitting that his first statutory declaration was true.
On Jan 19, political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda (right) had claimed in a witness statement that he had met Altantuya - whom he called Aminah - at the end of 2004 and middle of 2005.Recorded on Oct 31, 2006, 12 days after her murder by military explosives, the statement said Razak had met the Mongolian "in various places - Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, France and Kuala Lumpur".
Photos of her trip to France were published in an Asia Sentinel article headlined 'Who was Altantuya Shaariibuu?', written by John Berthelsen on Dec 5, 2007.
Razak, who was acquitted of her murder in 2008 without his defence being called, said he had a 'relationship' with her and paid her US$10,000 (RM35,000) on several occasions.
But he stopped giving her money on Oct 23, 2006, when he could no longer tolerate her repeated "harassment".
The details were reported in Bernama on Jan 19, 2007, during Razak's application for bail after being charged with the murder of Altantuya, at the Shah Alam High Court.
This story does not tally with the French police investigation report which first appeared in online news portal Free Malaysia Today headlined 'French probe: Altantuya never entered France'.The report also squashed claims that Altantuya worked as a translator for Razak in the Paris deal as she does not speak French.
Model, mistress or translator?
Questions then arise as to Altantuya's work and her relationship with Razak, well-known to be a close ally of Prime Minister Najib Razak.
While Razak has admitted that Altantuya was his mistress, her father - Setev Shaariibuu - on Jun 15, 2007, at a press conference with several NGOs in Kuala Lumpur revealed that the duo had a business relationship.
"She was a professional translator for the past five years (2001-1006). She worked for (Razak) Baginda.
"She did not have a relationship with him," he had told reporters then, pointing out misinformation in the press surrounding his daughter's identity.
He had also revealed a document indicating that there were business relations between his daughter and Razak, who currently lives in London, with his wife and daughter.
Shaariibuu (right) had repeated the claim of
his daughter's work in court on Jun 21, 2007, when he described
Altantuya as having a "jet-setting life" as a professional translator
and interpreter. "She travelled most frequently to Malaysia, Singapore and China, but also travelled to many other countries."
The French are currently investigating the deal, where huge amount of kickbacks were allegedly paid to top Malaysian officials.
Human rights NGO - Suaram - had filed a case against French submarine maker - DCNS - for allegedly paying the kickbacks, which was said to have benefited Najib and Umno.
Najib, was then deputy prime minister and defence minister, in charge of the procurement of the two scorpene class submarines in a massive RM7.3 billion deal inked in 2002.
Najib and Razak have both vehemently denied involvement in the case.
Entered France as 'Aminah'?
Meanwhile, now a question mark is hanging over whether or not Altantuya had entered France via another name as she is also known as 'Aminah' to both her father and Razak.
According to Setev, however, 'Aminah' is not a Muslim name but a term Mongolians used to described their eldest daughter.
Altantuya was also known to V Bala Subramaniam - a private investigator hired by Razak - who testified in court on Jun 18, 2007, that a Mongolian national named Aminah had visited the political analyst at his office on Oct 9 the previous year.
Bala (left) had claimed that Razak had hired him for RM4,000 a month to prevent Altantuya from either meeting or threatening him. He later made a statutory declaration disclosing that police had omitted information about the relationship between Najib and Altantuya during their investigation.
He retracted the statutory declaration the following day and replaced it with one that erased all traces of links between Najib and the Mongolian woman.
Bala then disappeared with his family and later re-emerged, claiming that his life had been threatened, and admitting that his first statutory declaration was true.
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