Asia Pacific News

Top Malaysian analyst pleads innocence over model's murder
Posted: 08 November 2006 1411 hrs

• Prominent head of Malaysia's political think tank arrested for murder


KUALA LUMPUR - A top political analyst close to senior politicians was being detained for five days as part of a police investigation into the abduction and murder of a French-trained Mongolian model, his lawyer said Wednesday.

"I had a short interview with Abdul Razak Baginda this morning at the court and I am relieved to hear that he is in no way involved in the abduction or murder," Shafie Abdullah told AFP.

"He is being investigated for the abduction and murder. Abdul Razak is being detained for five days until Sunday.

"He pleads innocence," he said, adding Abdul was picked up by police on Tuesday.

Abdul Razak is the executive director of the Malaysian Strategic Research Centre, a leading private think-tank in Malaysia, and provides regular commentary on the ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO).

Shafie said Abdul Razak knew the Mongolian women, identified as 28-year-old Altantuya Shaariibu. She was believed to have been murdered and her remains blown up with an explosive, Bernama news agency reported late Monday.

Three members of the Malaysian police force who were arrested for alleged involvement in the murder were also brought to court Wednesday, but no further details were available.

Bernama Tuesday said the affair had resulted in the Mongolian model having a baby this year.

Shafie also said Abdul Razak knew one of the policemen detained in the investigation.

Malaysian police conducted a search and found skeletal remains of Altantuya, who was shot and her body blown to bits near Subang lake dam, west of the capital Kuala Lumpur, the Star newspaper reported Tuesday.

It said Altantuya came to Malaysia on October 6 with her sister and cousin is search of "a political analyst" whom she claimed was her husband.

On October 19 she had received a telephone call to meet him at his house, the Star said.

But when she reached the house, she was seized by several men, pushed into a car and driven away, the newspaper reported.

Her sister and her cousin, who last heard from Altantuuya on the night of October 19, subsequently lodged a police report.

Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan vowed there would be no cover-up.

"Whoever is involved would be brought to book regardless of his stature. I am also going to find out how and who authorised the issuance of the explosives used in the murder," he said. - AFP/ir