COMMENTARY
NOV 1 — Abdul Razak Baginda is a free man. But he and his close friend Datuk Seri Najib Razak and family are still not free from the allegations and suspicions that swirl around the murder of Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu.
Since his arrest two years ago, allegations have cropped up particularly in the blogosphere about him, Najib, defence deals and Altantuya complete with lurid details, conjecture and photo-shopped photographs.
His statutory declaration revealed some details of an affair with Altantuya while his private investigator P. Balasubramiam's two sworn statements contradict each other but have put more pressure on Najib. A string of text messages said to be between Najib and Razak's first lawyer Datuk Muhammad Shafee Abdullah has also implied political intervention.
Najib has denied all the allegations but has not sued anyone. Malaysia Today news portal editor Raja Petra Kamarudin is being held under the Internal Security Act while facing criminal charges of defamation and sedition tied to Altantuya's murder as most of the allegations surfaced on his website.
The key to the entire imbroglio is Razak.
But the 48-year-old political analyst has been tight lipped since Shah Alam High Court judge Datuk Mohd Zaki Yasin concluded that the prosecution failed to prove a prima facie case of abetment against him.
"Alhamdulillah. I am fasting today to express my gratitude," Razak told reporters when met outside his house in the leafy Bukit Damansara suburb of Kuala Lumpur.
But he can also express his gratitude by revealing details that were not covered in his statutory declaration and possibly clear the air and his friend Najib from the stench of suspicion.
And Razak can also rebut the contents in private investigator Bala's first statutory declaration that opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim first revealed last July 3 and which Bala recanted a day later.
Bala and his family have now disappeared from view, leaving behind a bigger mystery than his two sworn statements.
Now the only one remaining who can clear the mystery is Razak, the affable, suave political confidante of Najib. The Kings College graduate in War Studies should also shed light about his involvement in the Scorpene submarine deal that the opposition claims is a crony deal and related to Altantuya's murder.
He might be facing a civil suit for the death of Altantuya but that should not stop him from doing justice for his friends.
Now that he is free, he must tell all. That is only fair.
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