Prime Minister in waiting relieved, but some questions remain

The acquittal of Abdul Razak Baginda for abetting the murder of a Mongolian model will come as a relief to Prime Minister in waiting Datuk Seri Najib Razak, whose alleged connection with the victim threatened his ascendancy.

"It will take the heat off," said Mary Magdaline Pereira, a political scientist of Universiti Teknologi Mara. "There's one fewer thing he has to worry about."

The judgment comes at a crucial time for Najib, who is contesting the presidency of the Umno — the dominant party in the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition — and is scheduled to take over from Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as prime minister in March.

Najib had repeatedly denied he knew the victim, Altantuya Shaariibuu, and that he had an affair with her.

But his close association with political analyst Razak, a former aide who was yesterday acquitted of involvement in the 28-year-old model's murder, had been a major stumbling block to convincing Malaysians he is above board.

Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam, president of Transparency Malaysia, who described the verdict as a "major relief" for Najib, urged people to accept the verdict.

"It is a pity this case has taken so long and caused so much pain. But justice has been finally done and the people should accept the verdict," he said.

"The deep divisions over this case also show the urgent need to reform the judiciary to ensure [it] is truly competent and independent, and enjoys the confidence of the people."

Najib has also been dogged by allegations of impropriety in the purchase of weapons systems and a bank in Indonesia.

And the trial has left some key questions unanswered, such as who ordered the murder and why.

Another is why a private investigator, P. Balasubramaniam, who was a key witness at the trial, suggested Najib had had an affair with Altantuya, only to retract it the next day and vanish from the country.

Because of these unanswered issues, a cloud of suspicion would always hang over Najib, analysts said. "The verdict would not end the speculation but instead fuel more speculation," said Leslie Lau, consultant editor of The Malaysian Insider, a political website. "The verdict leaves questions unanswered and gives fodder to conspiracy theories.

-SCMP.com