‘Al-Jazeera was not fair to keep asking me about Altantuya and 1MDB’

‘Al-Jazeera was not fair to keep asking me about Altantuya and 1MDB’

Published on: Monday, October 29, 2018

Selangor: Former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak (pic) has clarified that he walked out of the Al-Jazeera interview because they were not beinag fair to him.

Najib said in a Facebook post on Saturday (Oct 27) that although the interview went beyond the agreed duration and scope, he still answered the additional questions posed by Al-Jazeera journalist Mary Ann Jolley.

However, he told the Star, Jolley persisted in questioning him on his involvement in the murder of Mongolian translator Altantuya Shaariibuu, even though he had denied any involvement in the case numerous times.

“Although I answered numerous questions about Altantuya and 1MDB, which were not in the agreed scope, the reporter named Mary Ann did not want to return to the original topic, which was about my legacy and the economy.

“In fact, she persisted with the Altantuya issue and 1MDB, which is under due process in the courts, and she interrupted me while I was answering (her questions) numerous times to associate Jho Low with me, even though I had answered about Jho Low’s role when we started the interview.

“That was why I took the decision to stop the interview, because it did not follow what had been agreed upon, and it was not fair to me,” he said.

According to Najib, he did not want the Al-Jazeera to continue to slander him on those two issues.

“I am told that Al-Jazeera is trying to arrange another interview with me so that the original goals of both parties could be met,” he said.

During the Al-Jazeera 101 East interview, Jolley asked Najib the reason he did not re-open investigation into the high-profile murder cases of Altantuya and Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Anthony Kevin Morais when he was still the premier.

Najib, in the interview, said he had entirely been cleared by the legal process, and that even the Inspector-General of Police at the time testified and verified that he was not involved in those cases.

Meanwhile, in another Facebook post, Najib complained that he was still being accused of lying about Altantuya despite having clarified that he “did not know and had never met her” just because many claimed to have seen photographic “evidence” of him sitting with Altantuya.

“I find it weird why many people still do not know that Tian Chua from PKR had long ago admitted that the picture was edited by him,” he said.

Najib also posted the link to a news article by Utusan Malaysia in 2007, in which the PKR vice-president admitted that he had posted a modified photo of Najib with Altantuya on his blog.

“This is another proof of how effective the influence of propaganda is today.

“Despite being more than 10 years ago, many still believe that the explosives used in the case was a C4 military grade explosive,” he said, adding that forensics investigators had previously said that the materials found at the scene was not C4 but PETN and RDX explosives.

He said such explosives could be obtained at construction sites and limestone quarries.

“Looks like the accusations and the false propaganda are easier to disseminate more widely in Malaysia compared to truths and explanations,” Najib said.

The Al-Jazeera 101 East exclusive interview became a hot topic after the former Prime Minister walked out of the interview upon losing his cool with Jolley who repeatedly asked questions relating to 1MDB, fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, also known as Jho Low, and the Altantuya murder case.

Photo Source: Bernama