Altantunya Shariibuu murder trial starts with black-eye for system of justice


The high-profile Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu murder trial started yesterday with a black-eye for the Malaysian system of justice with the last-minute switch of the prosecution team at the opening of the trial yesterday leading to a two-week adjournment until June 18.

Twenty-four hours after the sudden turn of events, no responsible or credible explanation is yet forthcoming from the Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail.

Gani’s explanation that he initiated the last-minute move to introduce a new prosecution team in order to ensure a “fair trial” to all parties concerned is no explanation at all, unless he could give two further information — firstly, what was wrong with the original prosecution team of DPPs Salehuddin Saidin and Noorin Badaruddin; and secondly, why he took the decision to change the prosecution team only at the eleventh-hour creating an international scene and not earlier when the Shah Alam High Court had fixed hearing for 25 days as far back as March 9, 2007?

DPP Tun Abd Majid Tun Hamzah, head of the Attorney-General’s Chambers civil division, who has been instructed to take over the prosecution, cannot be faulted as he had only been assigned to the case “at 5.30 pm on Sunday, while on his way back to Kuala Lumpur from his home town of Kuala Kangsar” but this does not mean that Gani should enjoy immunity from having to act with responsibility and accountability by giving a proper explanation, which he owes not only to the Shah Alam High Court but also to the courts of public opinion, both national and international.

The allegation by lawyer Zulkifli Noordin, who discharged himself from representing one of the accused Chief Insp Azilah Hadri, that “there were serious interferences by third parties” in his preparation for the defence and trial “for the purpose of protecting and for the benefit of certain parties” is very grave and should be taken seriously by the relevant authorities as it constitute a travesty of justice. A full and thorough investigation should be conducted to get to the bottom of Zulkifli’s allegation.

  1. #1 by Rocky on Tuesday, 5 June 2007 - 3:07 pm

    simply a delay tactic. Nothing more. But why do they need the extra time???

  2. #2 by kelangman88 on Tuesday, 5 June 2007 - 3:22 pm

    The prosecutor is too good? They need to change to a lousier one?

  3. #3 by lakshy on Tuesday, 5 June 2007 - 3:32 pm

    …and as usual nothing will come of all this in bolehland!

    ….and PM will say, everyone bersabar and accept the courts decision….we(royal) did not interfere with the judicial process

  4. #4 by shortie kiasu on Tuesday, 5 June 2007 - 4:28 pm

    The AG Abdul Ghani has a lot of explaining to do for the fiasco and blunder in the management of justice in the country.

    This particular sham in the justice and legal history can go into the Book Of Records of Malaysia and Abdul Ghani can proudly present this sham to the Organizer of the “50th Mederka Celebration” as one of the “achievement” and Highlight.

    Hasn’t PM Abdullah Ahmad has nothing to say on this!!

    Another shameful “event” in the annal of flip-flop policies of the government, manifested by a legal department, Attorney-General and his Chamber.

    There could be more than meet the eyes! That is in every body’s mind.

  5. #5 by Jong on Tuesday, 5 June 2007 - 4:48 pm

    Yes, what AG Abdul Ghani did was not only suspicious but shameful, inconsiderate and highly irresponsible!

    He owes the courts of opinion, national and international an explanation and we hope he’ll come out clean on it.

  6. #6 by mendela on Tuesday, 5 June 2007 - 4:53 pm

    It is crystal clear there are dark forces behind the scene!

    Atlantuya, pity you! You won’t get back your justice despite the most cruel way of your killing!

    Pls go haunt and take revenge by yourself on the real killers and the VVIPs who instructed your killing !

    Get help from the mighty Gengkis Khan if needed!

  7. #7 by Kingkong on Tuesday, 5 June 2007 - 4:58 pm

    While DPM’s NO flip-flop promise on IDR to the Singaporeans is still ringing in our ears, immediately there is this flip-flop in our system of justice.

    When can these people be right just once? When can we have confidence on the government administration machinery?

  8. #8 by HJ Angus on Tuesday, 5 June 2007 - 5:46 pm

    Maybe the AG is so busy reading up on the IPCMC that he forgot about this murder case?

    YES we are still waiting after 2 long years. If I were the PM I would have put this AG on the carpet by now.

    Make that a flying carpet. Maybe put both of them on it.

  9. #9 by Jong on Tuesday, 5 June 2007 - 5:50 pm

    Just can’t wait for the General Election to boot them all out. Malaysians don’t we have enough of them, huh?!!!

    News of Altantuya’s murder, followed by flip-flops from the Attorney-General’s office, the Lina Joy’s failed Federal Court appeal and the ‘half-past-six’ construction of govt buildings with pieces of ceiling collapsing and water pipe-bursts every few weeks, have reached far corners of the world.

    Malaysians overseas have been ridiculed over such disgraceful events happening in our country, the butt of smirking jokes! It’s embarrassing

    David Letterman and Jay Leno are gonna pick them up soon. Watch out folks!

  10. #10 by WFH on Tuesday, 5 June 2007 - 6:09 pm

    Dzulkifli Noordin, discharging himself from defending one of the accused, citing “serious interferences by 3rd parties”…“for the purpose of protecting and for the benefit of certain parties” must NOT be let go of.

    Remember during the early days when the 3 accused were under investigation and detention and charged, there was this statement, out of the blue, from (whoever it was involved with investigations into the murder) that there are no other parties involved in the murder. That these 3 were the ONLY ones. The maker of that statement must have been either:- 1) super-duper super slueth having so quickly and easily eliminating all other possibilities, 2) he was a psychic who gets vibes at crime scenes or whilst investigating, OR 3) he was quickly put under “instruction” to contain and limit the fallout from the investigative net regarding this grisly murder. Thank you, Dzulkifli Noordin, for confirming this impression.

    Now it remains to be seen how and/or whether the net will snare any catch beyond these 3 accused. Hope the net will be BIG enough and strong enough for such weighty catch.

    Me, being ignorant with how the system works between civil and criminal matters – I am scratching my head how DPP Tun Abd Majid Tun Hamzah,..” head of the Attorney-General’s Chambers civil division..” repeat: CIVIL Division…. is in any way specialised to prosecute this which I understand to be a criminal trial? And a trial I expect to be very, very deep in tactics and strategies coming from the defence lawyers.

    Is the sudden change in the Prosecuting team intended make sure that it will screw itself up, for lack of preparation, so that the accused are NOT called to enter their defence on grounds that the prosecution has not proven a prima facie case? Hey, don’t blame me for coming to this conclusion, because who can expect DPP Tun Abdul Majid Hamzah, to do a good job if he is appointed effectively, on the morning the trial is to start? (OK, I know he was informed on the evening of the Sunday before trial starts the next morning, hence, effectively to me, it’s as if he is appointed at start of trial)

    How-lah like that, to build ANY confidence on anything this government does? Not that I don’t want to trust this government, but when it goes all out and does things to push away my desire to help it do better, I think the people deserve better respect.

    Btw, I thought honorifics cannot be added to names for a long time already..? Or is that not an honorific, at all? If it is not, and if my surname is Tan, can I name my son “Tan Sri…” on his MyKad?

  11. #11 by undergrad2 on Tuesday, 5 June 2007 - 7:18 pm

    Changes in the Dream Team could be due to their failure to come up to BN’s expectations. The AG being a tool of the BN government has had to pull the plug on the eleventh hour.

    What does that tell us but political interference into the country’s legislative process?

  12. #12 by Alvin on Tuesday, 5 June 2007 - 8:44 pm

    It is downright embarassing when foreigners ask me this questions
    – why your DPP change last minute and delay the trial
    – i heard your AG instructed the last minute change
    – is it true your parliment’s roof leaks
    – hey, i read that your PM always naps every working day, is that correct?
    – i read that you have 2 sexist MP and they are still there
    – your corruption level very very bad, why no action
    – why your government don’t allow Lina Joy freedom to choose her religion
    – your construction standards for public building so lousy
    As a true Malaysian, how would you answer???

  13. #13 by YC on Tuesday, 5 June 2007 - 9:31 pm

    This prove that all the rumours we heard outside is the truth!

    As a Malaysian, I feel shame about this event. Our top guys are trying to turn “black” into “white”.

  14. #14 by Cinapek on Tuesday, 5 June 2007 - 9:35 pm

    Both the current yokozunas (highest rank in sumo wrestling) are of Mongolian descent. It looks like the Mongolian contingent needs to bring in this heavy artillery to get some justice.

    It is plainly obvious the AG is trying very hard to lose the case. It makes no sense to pull out a prosecution team that was involved from Day 1 and knows the case inside out and substitute it with another that knows nothing about the case and has just two weeks to prepare.

    The more Gani tries to explain, the less credible his reasons become. It is his prerogative to make the changes and give the reasons but please do not use such silly excuses as it has brought Malaysia international ridicule.

  15. #15 by negarawan on Tuesday, 5 June 2007 - 11:07 pm

    International pressure must be rallied against the Malaysian government for interfering in this case. It is obvious that someone in the government is trying to destroy the prosecution case. This is blatant corruption and constitute a failure of the justice system in Malaysia! There is no justice for the righteous, only the wrongdoer in Malaysia.

  16. #16 by k1980 on Tuesday, 5 June 2007 - 11:19 pm

    Just can’t wait for the General Election to boot them all out—- To the bumis both in Peninsular and East Malaysia, a vote against BN is a vote against the NEP. Now tell me who in his/her right sense of mind would dump the goose that lays golden eggs for the past 30 years and would continue to do so indefinitely (Never mind the fact that the golden eggs come from the sweat and toil of non-bumis)

    So unless the opposition parties get their act together, they will be in for another thrashing at the polls, because the NEP is going to decide who votes for whom

  17. #17 by negarawan on Tuesday, 5 June 2007 - 11:21 pm

    The international legal fraternity and international media must converge upon Malaysia and make their presence strongly felt in this case, which is already beginning to stink like other cases before it (Anwar Ibrahim, Lina Joy, etc, etc)

  18. #18 by greenacre on Tuesday, 5 June 2007 - 11:24 pm

    power and more power choosing to prosecute or discontinue or even choose the court to charge or even charge under an act that offers lighter sentence or heavier. All the power right under the political power of the executive is vested in the AG/PP in our constitution via Article 145. Didn’t the Pakistan’s expelled chief justice say something about ‘power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely’.

  19. #19 by ihavesomethingtosay on Wednesday, 6 June 2007 - 12:20 am

    Bodohland will soon be a joke of the world, how we are going to mess up Ms Altantuya and how we have mess up Lina, so soon, so wrong for the world to see Bodohland as it is.

    I’ve posted a song by the Clash sometime when Ms Altantuya was found murdered, it’s a song by the Clash, and it’s call “Know your rights”

    The lyrics:

    “Number 1
    You have the right not to be killed
    Murder is a CRIME!
    Unless it was done by a
    Policeman or aristocrat
    Know your rights……………….”

    http://londonsburning.org/lyr_combat_rock.html

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bL0CCphgmZ8

    If they had somehow included C4 in the lyrics, it will be scarier……

    I hope Ms Altantuya should be able get some peace after this trial.

  20. #20 by TooFree on Wednesday, 6 June 2007 - 5:13 am

    There could be many reasons why the prosecution team need to be changed, especially at very short notice, amongst them;

    1. to buy some time;
    2. to get a more obedient team which may be more receptive to the wishes of the boss;
    3. to replace a team which might have been compromised, or found to be unreliable for one reason or the other.
    4. to replace a team which might be prejudiced/bias towards any one side,
    5. to divert unwanted pressure/infuence away from the team or the teams organisation.

    The reason could be noble or otherwise. We don’t really know enough to even speculate the real reason, let alone pass judgement on the AG.

  21. #21 by ahkok1982 on Wednesday, 6 June 2007 - 7:47 am

    i think it is high time to contact the mongolian government and inform them that unless they make some noise and attract international attention which sticks throughout this trial, there will NEVER EVER be a fair trial at all. there is NO CHANCE of getting a fair trial if there is no pressure on the courts and government.
    Uncle Lim, i am quite curious as to why you were able to generate quite a big reaction from the ASEAN community for the bocor incident but for this murder case, there is hardly any. The same amount if not more reaction for justice should be created to pressurize them.
    anyway, what happened to the bocor incident? seems like it died down and those two clowns did not get the punishment they deserved. another case of leave it and all will be forgotten?

  22. #22 by moong cha cha II on Wednesday, 6 June 2007 - 8:09 am

    Muthu & Ali work as chefs in a 6-star hotel

    Muthu is the chef for Western food, while Ali is the expert for Oriental cuisine.

    One day, just before a grand wedding, the manager of the F&B department ordered that Muthu be in charged of the Oriental department and Ali take over the Western food.

    guess what would happen to the wedding dinner

  23. #23 by FuturePolitician on Wednesday, 6 June 2007 - 11:37 am

    This case would bring in all the rot in MinDef, Police and Ministers involved. BN couldnt find a scapegoat in time. Too many stories in the market circulating, implicating top officials. The explosive used are for warfare used during wartime. The police shouldnt have access to it..like C4 or handgranade. It is simple deduction of accountability..who is the responsible person or persons in the government.

    General Election is coming..what would you do for us DAP if you receive our vote? I know what BN can do for us and the rest of other opposition..we want to vote for you..but make our vote worth something instead of being a watchdog on the government.

  24. #24 by good coolie on Wednesday, 6 June 2007 - 1:31 pm

    Wasn’t the judge changed? Now, the prosecution is changed. Later, defence lawyers would be changed (I am not joking, brother!). And then, lastly, the defendants would be changed!

  25. #25 by WFH on Wednesday, 6 June 2007 - 7:56 pm

    FuturePolitician wrote at June 6th, 2007 at 11:37 am
    Quote:-
    …..General Election is coming..what would you do for us DAP if you receive our vote? I know what BN can do for us and the rest of other opposition..we want to vote for you..but make our vote worth something instead of being a watchdog on the government…”

    I can’t help seeing you as a million times worse than those receiving RM200 for their votes.

  26. #26 by undergrad2 on Thursday, 7 June 2007 - 6:18 am

    “And then, lastly, the defendants would be changed!”

    You cannot ‘change’ the defendants. They have been charged for the murder. The only way to ‘change’ them is for the judge to find them not guilty of the murder.

    If they are found ‘not guilty’ of murder that does not mean they did not do it. ‘Not guilty’ does not mean ‘innocent’ of the murder.

  27. #27 by FuturePolitician on Thursday, 7 June 2007 - 9:35 am

    WFH, what do you mean by 1mil worse… care to elaborate., probably i could learn something from your intellect mind of yours. what is worse than receiving RM200/- to switch sides?

  28. #28 by susmaryosep on Friday, 8 June 2007 - 9:15 pm

    Remember Norlita Samsudin and the “strange body odor” suddenly raised as possibility of someone else…….?

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