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| Who was Altantuya Shaariibuu? |
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| Written by John Berthelsen | ||
| Wednesday, 05 December 2007 | ||
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A murdered woman fades into a caricature as the trial of her accused killers in Malaysia drags on into obscurity
On October 18, 2006, a pretty young Mongolian translator named Altantuya Shaariibuu was brutally murdered at the age of 28. Her mutilated body was found in a jungle clearing near the Kuala Lumpur suburb of Sha Alam. Her reputation has been brutalized as well. The pictures printed here may give some of her back to the world.
After her remains were found about a month after the murder, Altantuya’s accused killers, Abdul Razak Baginda, her former lover and the head of a politically well-connected think tank, and two bodyguards for Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, were arrested almost immediately in a blaze of newspaper headlines that all but convicted them.
She had also worked as Abdul Razak’s translator on a shady deal he was brokering for the Malaysian government to buy submarines from France. The pair seem to have travelled to Paris together. A letter found after she was killed appeared to be a demand for money from him for the care of her child, which he may have fathered. She was last seen by eyewitnesses getting into a car outside Abdul Razak’s house with the two elite bodyguards. Abdul Razak had requested help in dealing with her vocal demands for money and presence at the house.
The trial has now been underway for six months while prosecutors wade through a tangle of jurisdictional disputes and take testimony from a tedious list of tangential witnesses. Both prosecution and defense seem intent on keeping the obvious political ramifications of the trial out of the courtroom. It almost seems as if the trial is being delayed just to lessen the impact of a mistrial or even the acquittal of the politically prominent defendants.
In the meantime, Altantuya’s name has been dragged through the mud for so long that she almost has ceased to exist as a person. After being identified by local newspapers following the murder, she was first characterized as a part-time model (code language for a high-priced call girl). She also has been reviled for being an unwed mother, and for jet-setting to Europe with Abdul Razak. She has been described as a bitter, spurned lover demanding money from her rich boyfriend. Her family, meanwhile, has said she worked hard and was just trying to find her way in life.
In a letter found after her death (spelling corrected), she sounds like any jilted young woman: “To see your lover is nothing criminal right? Yes (I) was in shock. I wrote some stupid letters to him where I said I kill myself I want help. Yes I try to blackmail him. Maybe it’s my fault but no I really understand he doesn’t love me anymore and I need to stop that I asked money from him to go back how he promised to me. He lied to me to help and ruin my life. I came to KL to see him to face to face and ask why acting like that. Maybe rich person and he got family doing this. But when I come I did some thing stupid I write letter where I said I will kill myself and thing like that.”
And, she adds: “They say Malaysia is different from Mongolia and said they know people in police so can easy put me to jail. If in Malaysia law goes like that I can’t complain. But true is I did nothing to him. I’m just normal girl trying to meet my lover who lied to me and promised many things but now wants to put me in jail or kill.” From a series of pictures made available to Asia Sentinel by Syed Abdul Rahman AlHabshi, the honorary Mongolian Consul General in Malaysia, Altantuya looks like nothing more than an attractive young woman off on the trip of her life to Europe. AlHabshi declined a request to say where the pictures came from but they are believed to have been found among her possessions after she was killed. She looks happy. Perhaps she was with her lover when these were taken. Her family has declined to elaborate on the circumstances of the pictures.
According to trial testimony by Burmaa Oyunchimeg, Altantuya’s cousin, who accompanied the victim to Kuala Lumpur to attempt to get Abdul Razak to give her money, there was one more picture. It depicted Altantuya having dinner with Abdul Razak and Deputy Prime Minister Najib. The picture was not in her possession when her decomposed body was found last October. The court has made no attempt to find the picture and Najib has not been called as a witness by either side.
The final picture here is perhaps the most disheartening. It is the three urns in which her bones sit while the trial drones on.
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Comments (22)
  written by ls, December 06, 2007
Perhaps it may help solve the forensics with FBI help?
 written by Johanna Mercier, December 07, 2007
I wonder why no one has ever interviewed The Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia of these allegations, and why he was having dinner with the victim together with Abdul Razak? And why there is a need to use grenade to dispose the body? What is the necessity to do it to this poor, pretty, educated and wealthy mother? And why the politicians body guard were involved?
Well I believe the only culprit will walk away freely but the guys that did the dirty job for them will only be punished. That is the way in Malaysia I guess.
 written by Stan Han, December 15, 2007
Thank you for putting a human face to Altantuya. Regrettably the Malaysian mainstream media have failed to show us the more accurate side of this woman who had the misfortune of meeting her killers. Her body language on the photos depict her as as a normal perhaps even bashful woman and not the shadowy character she was portrayed in the government-controlled media. Some day justice will be done. As a father with my own beautiful daughter i know what her parents are going through. Don't expect too much from the Malaysian judiciary which is under a cloud at the moment because of the judge-fixing scandal. Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamed decries the government as "rotten" and he should know. All justice-loving Malaysians will pray and hope for justice to be done and Altantuya' cruel murderers get their just desserts.
 written by Inah, June 28, 2008
As a Malaysian, I feel ashamed of the way this trial has been carried out. I feel sorry for the deceased Altantuya and her family. Not all Malaysian are in full support of the judiciary system, the PM and especially the DPM right now. I hope someday things will turn for the better and Altantuya and her family will get the justice they deserve. If they dont, then God will punish those responsibled for the rest of their life and the hereafter.
 written by original malay, July 03, 2008
they are all the same. no more no less.
 written by Dicanio, July 06, 2008
A Mongolian woman got murdered, blasted with C-4 explosives, and her immigration records deleted.
Who can warrant the murder with a military explosives and the access to the immigration records??? A political analyst and two bumbling policemen? NO way........ It must be somebody up there!
 written by Derrick Lee, September 10, 2008
With the Chief Judge and Attorney General corrupt and hand picked by those who are in power, there can never be a fair trial.
In Malaysia, those well connected individuals can literally walk away with murder.
 written by Mongolian, October 18, 2008
I've just read an article, where Altantuya's father Shaariibuu was interviewed. Here is the weblink if you know Mongolian http://www.sonin.mn/2008/10/17...ent-10276. There is a further trial on the 31st of October.
written by nico, January 16, 2009
i'am a malaysian and i really ashame of this case. f*** all that involed in this case. god will punish u all bi***
written by Lon Jon, March 08, 2009
I am throughly astounded by the unsurmountable shame this sorry episode of the Malaysian justice system. Sorry for the misdeeds brought unto late Ms. Shaariibuu and her family. I pray for the day justice will revail and vindicate the oppressed. If God willing.
written by Fucking Abdul, March 09, 2009
Just kill the murders in way of killing her,
they will die few years later
written by johorboy, March 11, 2009
This article seems like a spin doctored piece of writing to steer the public eye toward Razak Baginda and (yet again) away from Najib Tun Razak. There is more than meets the eye with the Altantuya murder. Pieces of hard evidence have been thrown out of court and we will never know the real story. All this while Malaysia awaits its new PM.
written by MY GOD, March 14, 2009
Seri Rosmah Mansor, wife of Malaysia's next prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, she stressed that her conscience was clear, saying that her own test of character is "whether you wake up , in the morning and look in the mirror, whether you like yourself or not, whether you have told the truth or not." - AP
She forgot that the soul and spirit of Altantuya is waiting and going to curse and haunt her husband anytime and anywhere he goes. Tell Rosmah to raise her hand and voice to swear in front of Altantuya photo in the eyes of the public that Najib is innocent without knowing and touching a single hair of Altantuya. Ripley said "Believe it or not ...she dares no raise her voice and her hand to confess it. A Malay proverb saying: "A LIAR NEVER CLOSE HER EYES NO MATTER WHAT SHE SAYS, A LIAR IS ALWAYS A LIAR." A Chinese proverb saying : "A Paper cannot cover up A Fire", the Smoke will come out with more FIRE". "My daughter has been murdered by Malaysians on Malaysian territory. And they did not even offer a word of apology," states Altantuya's dad, a professor of psychology at the National University of Mongolia.” Ii is indeed shameful to declare we are Malaysians when we are visiting overseas. This is because the remark above branded all Malaysians are Murderers of a pregnant Mongolian girl in a lawless land called Malaysia Boleh. What a disgraceful remark to all Malaysians ? Many doubtful questions were unanswered by UMNO leads BN government and the Judges in the Court. Why the BN government is silent and kept shut up on his remark? Why UMNO does not take action against the French journalist on her report in Paris news? Why BN and UMNO are not telling the whole truth and clean up the messes in this high profile case? Who is hiding and cover up who in this murder case ? Why the two police officers were charged on carrying out their strict duties by obeying their leaders' orders in PDRM ? Who instructions and who gave them the order to execute the pregnant Mongolian girl ? Why the accused police officers dare not speak up and confess to tell the truth in the Court ? Do we Malaysians want to shake dirty hands of unclear PM today ? Do we want to see the World Leaders shy away and walk out when the PM approaches them ? Last but not least, do Malaysians want a tainted PM to lead a democracy Malaysia ? InsyALLAH ... GOD knows better ! TO HELL IS WAITING FOR THE REAL MURDERER !
written by Shame M'sian, April 17, 2009
Looking at this case, i feel ashamed to be Malaysian...
Feel deeply sorry and apologize for what had happened to late Ms. Altantuya, justice will reveal one day...
written by Disappointed, April 24, 2009
As if being corrupt is not bad enough....This is Malaysia now. I am ashamed, angry and sad at the same time. If there is a God, hopefully the day of judgement will come.
written by DA, October 22, 2009
Well Malaysian know who killed the Mongolian woman. GOD is GREAT - the person responsible to the murder will Eventually be prosecuted in one way or the other…Amin….. To all Malaysian pls pray so that the killer be prosecuted.
written by tsegi, January 23, 2011
ymar aimaar ymar haramsaltai yum be/ hairan busgui uneheer haramsaj bna
written by Mongol, February 01, 2011
It's just sad that Mongolian Citizen's life is worth nothing! How dare Malaysians government send delegation to Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum held in Ulaanbaatar City. People in Ulaanbaatar should have marched against them! Thanks
 written by superbadkitty, September 13, 2012
Everyone stop getting carried away. This girl wasn't murdered because of her nationality. If that's the case, they would've arranged to kill her outside Malaysia when they had the chance! This case is not a bad reflection on Malaysia or Malaysians, but on a cheating married man who was cornered. Most married men are bad boys. Women, go look over your husbands' shoulders and make sure they are behaving themselves! If anyone is angry about this murder case, go shout at a philanderer next time you know of one.
 written by Gopal Raj Kumar, January 13, 2013
Perhaps a question ought to be asked of Mr. Berthlesen here in this article. Why would the Prime Minister need to be called as a witness on the basis of a photograph someone says exists that shows him in the presence of Altantuya having dinner with the man Razak Baginda.
What would be the relevance of the prime minister's presence in a court at a criminal trial be based on a photgraph which someone says existed at the time? what questions would have been put to the prime minister to establish the guilt or otherwise of the people charged with Altantuya's murder on the basis of a photograph someone says existed at the time of the trial? The "peanut gallery" lynch mob of which you Berthelsen have been an integral part of having been baying for the blood of the prime minster in this matter has failed to make out a case as to why it was critical to establishing guilt of the offenders that the prime minister should have been be required to testify. No one says what he would have been required to testify to that would have been relevant to the finding of guilt in the trial of the two men since found guilty of Altantuya's murder. One must bear in mind much of the evidence thats been published in this matter comes from an incredulous turncoat who admits to having been bought to provide conflicting stories about this case and the main players. A man who has lied obtained pecuniary advantage playing one set of protagonists against another in this matter. A self confessed liar. And the Asia Sentinel immerses itself in the tainted testimony of one Balasubramaniam and his handlers and publishes it as fact? Another opportunity to sue the writer for defamation perhaps?
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That is dreadful if more information surface to point at him when he has become the PM of Malaysia.
Malaysians should hope for some saving grace that somehow and some where, somebody will engineer for him to exit gracefully instead of allowing him to become PM of Malaysia.
Malaysians should also hope that he does not allow his craze for power to dstract from the fact that Malaysia cannot afford to have him, a person whose image is thus so, so, so tainted to become PM.