Bukit Gelugor MP Ramkarpal Singh said Inspector-General of Police Mohamad Fuzi Harun should no longer delay a fresh probe into the murder following a report lodged by Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng.
“Fuzi was reported as saying that the case could not be reopened as there were no new leads and no new police reports had been lodged on the matter.
“I have always maintained that there was no need for such a report to be lodged, but since one has been made, there should be no reason now not to reopen investigations into the case,” said the lawyer.
In testimonies during her murder trial, the court heard that Altantuya was shot dead before her body was blown to bits with explosives in a jungle clearing in Shah Alam in late 2006.
Two police officers, Sirul Azhar Umar and Azilah Hadri, were sentenced to death, while another who was accused alongside the duo, Abdul Razak Baginda, was acquitted earlier.
The case attracted attention as Razak was at that time an aide to then defence minister Najib Razak. It was said that Altantuya’s murder had to do with unpaid commissions linked to Malaysia’s purchase of two Scorpene submarines from France.
The calls for a fresh probe into her murder followed a plea by Altantuya’s father, Shaariibuu Setev, urging the new Pakatan Harapan (PH) government to reopen the case.
Ramkarpal, who is Setev’s lawyer, said it was time for Fuzi to “stop beating around the bush” over the murder case.
“He is a public servant, and the public expects this issue to be resolved,” he told a press conference here today, adding that recent statements by Sirul, who has since fled to Australia, point to new leads on the murder.
“There is nothing to stop him (Fuzi) from reopening investigations. He must do it,” he said.
Ramkarpal said the question of reopening the murder probe would not have arisen if the authorities already had answers.
“In this case, the prosecution did not call evidence to establish the motive of who ordered the murder of Altantuya.
“I represent Shaariibuu Setev, the father of Altantuya. He wants to know why. Was there a cover-up by the prosecution? Was there a deliberate attempt to not reveal the identities of those who ordered the murder?” he asked.
“Altantuya’s murder goes way beyond who pulled the trigger. We know who pulled the trigger. It was Azilah and Sirul. But we want to know who ordered them to do so.
“I want to make it very clear that we will continue asking the hard questions until the case is resolved.”
Ramkarpal refused to say whether those linked to the case should be barred from leaving the country.
He said only a fresh probe could confirm if Razak is a suspect.
“I think that is why it is important to reopen investigations immediately. If the new investigations discover new suspects for example, then you can take the necessary action to restrict their movement, such as impounding their passports.
“But at this time, police are not doing anything. How do you restrict their movements?” he asked.
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