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Detective missing after making claims in Malaysia murder case
Malaysia has issued an international alert for a missing private eye after he made, and quickly retracted, allegations about the deputy prime minister's links to a high-profile murder case, police said on Sunday.
- Agencies
- Published: 11:31 July 6, 2008
Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia has issued an international alert for a missing private eye after he made, and quickly retracted, allegations about the deputy prime minister's links to a high-profile murder case, police said on Sunday.
The detective, Balasubramaniam Perumal, disappeared along with his wife and three children on Friday after retracting an allegation that Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak had sexual relations with the murder victim.
The Mongolian woman, Altantuya Shaariibu, 28, was shot in the head twice before her body was blown up with explosives in October 2006. Najib's political adviser, Abdul Razak Baginda, and two state bodyguards are on trial for the murder.
National Police Criminal Investigation Department (CID) chief Bakri Zinin told a news conference on Sunday, "Police in the country have been put on alert to find him and we have informed Interpol ... as well as police in neighbouring countries.
"I give a guarantee of his safety, if he comes to meet us, and he is free to bring a lawyer," Bakri said.
Najib has repeatedly denied he ever had a sexual relationship with the Mongolian, or had conspired to cover up her murder, allegations made on Thursday by Balasubramaniam, who was working for Abdul Razak at the time of the killing.
The detective's bombshell was the latest twist in the high-stakes political melodrama, featuring allegations of sex, murder, lies and sodomy, that has gripped the nation since a March 8 general election handed a resurgent opposition led by former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim unprecedented gains.
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