The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is keeping everyone guessing on whether it will take up the offer to interview private investigator P Balasubramaniam in London next month.
MACC will announce its decision in due time, its investigation director Mustafar Ali said, without elaborating any further.
“I try to focus on my press conference today, on givers (of bribes). I believe if I were to mention PI Bala, it's going to be highlighted tomorrow,” he said in Putrajaya after announcing figures on arrests made as at May 31 thuis year.
“After we decide, we will inform. That's our promise,” Mustafar added.
Last month, lawyers for Balasubramaniam (left) emailed an invitation to the MACC to send officers over to London to interview the private investigator in connection with their probe into the sensational murder of Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu.
MACC will announce its decision in due time, its investigation director Mustafar Ali said, without elaborating any further.
“I try to focus on my press conference today, on givers (of bribes). I believe if I were to mention PI Bala, it's going to be highlighted tomorrow,” he said in Putrajaya after announcing figures on arrests made as at May 31 thuis year.
“After we decide, we will inform. That's our promise,” Mustafar added.
Last month, lawyers for Balasubramaniam (left) emailed an invitation to the MACC to send officers over to London to interview the private investigator in connection with their probe into the sensational murder of Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu.Balasubramaniam had made a startling revelation in his statutory declaration in July 2008 pertaining to the murder of Altantuya, only to retract it a day later.
The declaration had stated that the then deputy prime minister, Najib Abdul Razak, was the one who introduced Altantuya to political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda.
Razak was charged with abetment to murder but was later freed by the court.
The private investigator had also alleged that Najib's younger brother Nazim was involved in his retraction of the statutory declaration, which is the subject of this MACC investigation.
This morning, Americk Sidhu, one of Balasubramaniam's three legal counsel, sent an email reminder to MACC investigating officer Abdul Rahman Bachok that the invitation still stands, and also asked for MACC to confirm if it was accepting the offer.
Room booked
The declaration had stated that the then deputy prime minister, Najib Abdul Razak, was the one who introduced Altantuya to political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda.
Razak was charged with abetment to murder but was later freed by the court.
The private investigator had also alleged that Najib's younger brother Nazim was involved in his retraction of the statutory declaration, which is the subject of this MACC investigation.
This morning, Americk Sidhu, one of Balasubramaniam's three legal counsel, sent an email reminder to MACC investigating officer Abdul Rahman Bachok that the invitation still stands, and also asked for MACC to confirm if it was accepting the offer.
Room booked Americk (right) said a conference room has been booked at the Holiday Villas Hotel in Leinster Gardens, Bayswater, for July 5 and 6 for the MACC to interview Balasubramaniam.
“I would be most obliged if you could respond to this email promptly as there are rumours abounding that the MACC will refuse to attend our arranged interview.
“I, however, do not believe for one moment that your department will turn down this opportunity to interview my client, bearing in mind the contents of the press statements made by some of the senior officers in your department concerning the interest in interviewing my client 'anytime and anywhere', and of course the gravity of the allegations made against some of our leaders and their immediate families,” Americk said in his email.
He added that over the course of the interview, he, along with counsel Manjeet Singh Dhillon and witnessing counsel Amarjit Singh Sidhu, would be present with Balasubramaniam.
Balasubramaniam made headline news in July 2008 after he issued a statutory declaration linking Najib and his wife Rosmah Mansor to Altantuya's gruesome killing with the use of explosives.
A day later, he issued a second statutory declaration to say that he was forced to sign the first declaration under duress and that he wanted to retract its contents.
It was more than a year before the elusive private investigator scorched the headlines again, in November 2009, when he claimed he had to issue the second statutory declaration after threats were made against his family.
It was also around this time that his lawyers first made the offer to arrange an interview with MACC officers to take Balasubramaniam's statement as part of their investigation into claims of corruption related to the Mongolian's murder.
Political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda, Altantuya's former lover and one of three accused in her murder, was acquitted of the charges in October 2008 while co-accused police officers chief inspector Azilah Hadri and corporal Sirul Azhar Umar were sentenced to death by the High Court in April last year.
“I would be most obliged if you could respond to this email promptly as there are rumours abounding that the MACC will refuse to attend our arranged interview.
“I, however, do not believe for one moment that your department will turn down this opportunity to interview my client, bearing in mind the contents of the press statements made by some of the senior officers in your department concerning the interest in interviewing my client 'anytime and anywhere', and of course the gravity of the allegations made against some of our leaders and their immediate families,” Americk said in his email.
He added that over the course of the interview, he, along with counsel Manjeet Singh Dhillon and witnessing counsel Amarjit Singh Sidhu, would be present with Balasubramaniam.
Balasubramaniam made headline news in July 2008 after he issued a statutory declaration linking Najib and his wife Rosmah Mansor to Altantuya's gruesome killing with the use of explosives.
A day later, he issued a second statutory declaration to say that he was forced to sign the first declaration under duress and that he wanted to retract its contents.
It was more than a year before the elusive private investigator scorched the headlines again, in November 2009, when he claimed he had to issue the second statutory declaration after threats were made against his family.
It was also around this time that his lawyers first made the offer to arrange an interview with MACC officers to take Balasubramaniam's statement as part of their investigation into claims of corruption related to the Mongolian's murder.
Political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda, Altantuya's former lover and one of three accused in her murder, was acquitted of the charges in October 2008 while co-accused police officers chief inspector Azilah Hadri and corporal Sirul Azhar Umar were sentenced to death by the High Court in April last year.
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