Identity of Deepak's 'backer' is secondary, says PKR

The identities of the purported backers of Deepak Jaikishan are secondary to the message that he is bringing, says PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim.

At a press conference today, Anwar said Deepak had provided new evidence into the murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu and also provided evidence of corruption and suppression of evidence by the authorities.

“These are all criminal acts. You do not say that somebody is behind it. If you say we will investigate it is all right, but you do not cover-up a crime.

“That is the central issue,” Anwar said, adding that he was not surprised with the allegations made by Umno bloggers that he was behind the expose.

“But you have to look at who is making this expose. It is Deepak, who is said to be a close family friend of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and Rosmah (Mansor). Deal with it. They (Najib and Rosmah) have to respond,” he said.

Anwar added that the system does not allow people to cast aspersions as Deepak had done.

"If you (the media) take the same position as Umno - (by focussing on) who is behind it, (it is not good). Look at the revelations that have been made.

"I for one do not condone smearing of people (without proof) and if what Deepak alleges (is true or untrue) he should be held responsible and accountable," said Anwar, who is the Permatang Pauh MP and opposition leader.

Anwar has been implicated by pro-Umno bloggers as the mastermind behind the series of revelations by Deepak that had put Najib in bad light.

Deepak had told several news organisations that he had been roped in by Najib to help convince private investigator P Balasubramaniam to retract his statutory declaration.

‘If Deepak alleges Anwar...’

Anwar then went on to attack the mainstream media, saying that if Deepak had said something about Anwar, it would appear in the front pages of all these newspapers.

“If such allegations are made against me, they will appear in The Star, New Straits Times and Utusan Malaysia for the next 30 days. But here you have the specific allegations and some of you (the media) have privy to the facts as there are specific allegations.

“There are accounts or payments made, and (these allegations) are serious, but the news had been completely submerged.

“That is why the submarines have been a big political issue in this country,” Anwar added, referring to the Scorpene submarine scandal that started the whole affair of the retracted statutory declaration.