(Malaysiakini) Self-exiled blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin (RPK) has refuted a TV3 report that he 'no longer believes' the claim that Rosmah Mansor was at the scene during the grisly murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu in 2006.
After the two-part bulletin was aired by the private station, some quarters immediately labeled the blogger a turncoat for having 'retracted' certain claims included in a statutory declaration (SD) that he had filed.
RPK admitted that he said the words, Saya rasa mustahil kot (I felt it may be impossible) in the interview conducted by TV3 group editor Ashraf Abdullah in Australia, but claimed that he had been cut off in mid-sentence in the segment aired on April 13.
After the two-part bulletin was aired by the private station, some quarters immediately labeled the blogger a turncoat for having 'retracted' certain claims included in a statutory declaration (SD) that he had filed.
RPK admitted that he said the words, Saya rasa mustahil kot (I felt it may be impossible) in the interview conducted by TV3 group editor Ashraf Abdullah in Australia, but claimed that he had been cut off in mid-sentence in the segment aired on April 13.“It was a (90-minute) interview, quite a bit of it was on my SD. Can you not only take one sentence but take the whole paragraph?” he posited in a Skype video interview with Malaysiakini from Bangkok last Sunday.
He was there to speak at a forum organised by political watchdog Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement of which he is chairperson. The group has dismissed the broadcast as having been doctored.
He was there to speak at a forum organised by political watchdog Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement of which he is chairperson. The group has dismissed the broadcast as having been doctored.
RPK attributed the misrepresentation of his statement to editing of his interview by the broadcaster, saying this had skewed the real meaning.
“Maybe TV3 should be asked to air the whole paragraph,” he said pointedly, also saying the onus is on the broadcaster to explain the matter.
“Maybe TV3 should be asked to air the whole paragraph,” he said pointedly, also saying the onus is on the broadcaster to explain the matter.
He claimed that what he said in its entirety was: Apabila saya diberitahu saya tak percaya lagi, saya rasa mustahil kot, Rosmah masuk hutan panjat bukit tengah malam, jadi saya tak percaya lagi, sehingga saya mendapat pengesahan.
(When I was told I did not believe it at first, I felt it may be impossible, for Rosmah to go into the jungle and climb the hill at night. so I did not believe it until I got confirmation.)
His initial disbelief was that an individual of Rosmah's physical proportions could have made it to the scene of the crime, but dismissed his skepticism after seeking clarification from other parties.
This, he said, was the missing ingredient in the TV3 broadcast.
RPK also rubbished claims in the same bulletin that he had said the Altantuya saga had no real links to Najib Abdul Razak and his wife Rosmah, and was an attempt to prevent Najib - then the deputy premier - from becoming prime minister.
“If they said it, then it's not me saying it. Ask me about what I said and then I'll reply. Don't ask me about what other people said. I don't get TV3 in Manchester by the way. I don't care what they say. They can say the world is flat, but I say the world is round.”
In the SD filed before he left Malaysia, RPK said he had received information from several persons that Rosmah had been present at the place when Altantuya was murdered.
(When I was told I did not believe it at first, I felt it may be impossible, for Rosmah to go into the jungle and climb the hill at night. so I did not believe it until I got confirmation.)
His initial disbelief was that an individual of Rosmah's physical proportions could have made it to the scene of the crime, but dismissed his skepticism after seeking clarification from other parties.
This, he said, was the missing ingredient in the TV3 broadcast.
RPK also rubbished claims in the same bulletin that he had said the Altantuya saga had no real links to Najib Abdul Razak and his wife Rosmah, and was an attempt to prevent Najib - then the deputy premier - from becoming prime minister.“If they said it, then it's not me saying it. Ask me about what I said and then I'll reply. Don't ask me about what other people said. I don't get TV3 in Manchester by the way. I don't care what they say. They can say the world is flat, but I say the world is round.”
In the SD filed before he left Malaysia, RPK said he had received information from several persons that Rosmah had been present at the place when Altantuya was murdered.
In his blog on Monday, he reiterated that he had never made the accusation but only conveyed what he believed to be reliable information so that the police could take action, and those involved could come forward to testify.
'One of many interviews'
'One of many interviews'
He denied that he had an ulterior motive in agreeing to an interview with the Malaysian electronic media, well known for their pro-government slant.
“It was one in a
series of about 10 interviews I did within that one-and-a-half months. TV3 was just one of 10 or so interviews I did. TV3 asked to interview me, and I said 'yes'.
“I do interviews even with hostile agencies, like Malaysiakini for example, (which has) been hostile (to) me and not always fair in reporting.”
He said he has never refused to give interviews to any news outlet, recalling his 'live' interview on Blog, a programme on national broadcaster RTM's TV1 channel several years ago.
“Why are you trying to say there is anything mischievous when it was one in a series of interviews?” he asked.
“It was one in a
series of about 10 interviews I did within that one-and-a-half months. TV3 was just one of 10 or so interviews I did. TV3 asked to interview me, and I said 'yes'.“I do interviews even with hostile agencies, like Malaysiakini for example, (which has) been hostile (to) me and not always fair in reporting.”
He said he has never refused to give interviews to any news outlet, recalling his 'live' interview on Blog, a programme on national broadcaster RTM's TV1 channel several years ago.
“Why are you trying to say there is anything mischievous when it was one in a series of interviews?” he asked.
Altantuya, a Mongolian national, was killed and her remains disposed of via military grade C4 plastic explosives in a secluded spot in the jungle near Shah Alam in 2006.
Three SDs were attested to in connection with the case, one by RPK and the other two by private investigator P Balasubramaniam.
Three SDs were attested to in connection with the case, one by RPK and the other two by private investigator P Balasubramaniam.
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