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Monday, January 14, 2013

Malaysian PM caught up in murder, bribery scandal


Najib Razak, Altantuya, Razak Baginda, scandal
THE plot has all the trappings of a B-grade movie: the murder of a glamorous Mongolian socialite amid allegations of high-level bribery, blackmail, betrayal and political cover-up.

But these are real-life events, and they could set back the chances of Malaysia's ruling coalition in an election that Prime Minister Najib Razak must call by midyear.
Mr Najib denies involvement but the allegations will not go away. The internet in Malaysia is running hot with allegations by a disaffected businessman, Deepak Jaikishan, who is well connected in the ruling United Malays National Organisation.
They relate in part to the alleged cover-up of the murder of 28-year-old Mongolian fashion model and translator Altantuya Shaariibuu in a patch of jungle in the Kuala Lumpur suburbs in 2006.