The Altantuya Murder Case in Malaysia

Asia Sentinel wrote a series of stories on the brutal murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu, a young Mongolian woman slain in Kuala Lumpur in 2006 by two bodyguards assigned to now-Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's office.

The stories linked the crime to Malaysian defense procurement irregularities, a bribery investigation in France and a court case that saw the two bodyguards convicted of murder but no higher-ups implicated in ordering the death of the 28 year old woman, who was pregnant at the time and had been romantically linked to a close friend of Najib's.

Here are the stories we've reported:

2015

April 29: Is UMNO Paying a Convicted Murderer’s Legal Fees? The killer of Altantuya Shaariibuu is represented by UMNO lawyers

April 6: Senior KL Lawyer Questions Altantuya Murder Cover-up Open letter demands that national police chief answer allegations

April 2: Malaysia’s Mahathir: Who Ordered Mongolian Beauty’s Death? But why now?

February 23: Malaysia Media Circus over Murder Case Altantuya’s killer offers to talk, then refuses, law enforcement officials scornful of charges

February 3: Who Ordered the ‘Hit’ on Altantuya? A former US diplomat questions who was behind Mongolian beauty’s murder

January 21: Will Altantuya’s Murderer Talk in Australia? Malaysian cop’s detention poses dilemma for political figures in Kuala Lumpur

January 15: No Extradition for Mongolian Woman’s Killer: Australia Confession describes Altantuya’s death in Malaysia with chilling detail

January 13: Shock Altantuya Murder Verdict in Malaysia Federal Court rules Mongolian woman’s killers were guilty after all

2014

July 9: Altantuya Comes Back to Haunt Malaysia A spectacular murder covered up by the government comes alive again

2013

August 23: Malaysia Frees Altantuya’s Murderers The tragedy of a brutal killing compounded by courtroom farce

July 30: Submarine Furor Returns to Malaysia Central figure in bribe case seeks to paint company at center of the scandal as legitimate

April 1: Malaysia to Sell Submarines Drag on the country’s treasury, PM says

March 15: Central Figure in Malaysian Submarine Murder Case Dies Private detective who tied prime minister to relationship with murdered woman has heart attack

2012

December 21: Malaysian Carpet Dealer Names a New Figure in Scandal Deepak Jaikishan names well connected lawyer in murder cover-up

December 13: More Spectacular Malaysian Scandal Revelations Carpet seller implicates, PM’s brother in bid to silence murder witness

December 4: Torrent of Revelations Against Malaysian PM Continues A rattled Najib tries to figure out how to counter allegations of criminal cover-up

November 28: Cracks Open in Malaysia’s Murder-Sub Scandal A key figure says he helped PM’s wife get a witness out of town

November 27: French Lawyers Seek Malaysian PM Najib to Testify in Sub Scandal Highly doubtful that is going to happen, though

November 26: Pesky French Lawyer Seeks to Return to KL Sub scandal lawyer, booted out in 2011, scheduled by opposition to address parliament

October 23: France Goes Slow on Bribery Reform OECD report finds "serious deficiencies" in following up corruption probes

October 20: Explosive Altantuya Revelations Coming? Retired Malaysian police chief schedules mysterious Bangkok press conference Monday to announce “new revelations” in murder for hire case

October 18: The Murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu Six years on, troubling questions remain about the Mongolian beauty’s death, and who ordered it

June 27: Altantuya in Paris The murdered woman went to France with the man previously accused of her murder

June 26: Malaysian Mindef Chief to Speak on Sub Scandal Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to defend government against corruption allegations

June 25: Deep and Dirty: Malaysia’s Submarine Scandal Leaked prosecution documents show a pattern of official misdeeds in two countries

June 25: The French-Malaysian Submarine Scandal: the Documents The 133 official documents uploaded onto this website are from the Directorate-General of the French National Police and the Judicial Police Directorate’s anti-organized and financial crimes unit.

June 12: The Man Who Keeps the Secrets Mysterious French operative at center of massive arms scandal

April 30: A Mystery Company in Malaysia’s French Sub Scandal Is it just a sign on a Hong Kong door?

March 18: Investigating Judges Named in Malaysia Submarine Graft Case French case draws closer to Malaysian officials

February 28: Delayed Controversial Murder Appeal To Be Heard March 9 Maybe, if it isn’t delayed again

January 26: Altantuya Killers’ Appeal Up Soon Case reopens doubts about Malaysian justice system

2011

July 22: French Lawyer Detained in Kuala Lumpur Leader of a team investigating kickbacks to Malaysian and French politicians is taken off a plane at KLIA

July 19: Malaysia’s Sub Scandal Resurfaces French prosecutors edge closer to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak

May 17: WikiLeaks and the Altantuya Murder Cables show the US embassy in KL feared "prosecutorial misconduct" during the sensational 2009 trial

April 15: The Malaysian Murder that Won’t Go Away Raja Petra backs off on claim linking Rosmah to Altantuya but questions remain

2010

November 22: France’s Sub Scandal Resurfaces Torpedoes Running!

November 5: Closing the Books on Murder in Malaysia The episode of a sensational killing of a Mongolian translator appears to be about finished

June 30: Mongolian Translator’s Murder Case Still Alive Mongolian government says it will fund a civil suit against Malaysia and Altantuya's onetime lover

April 28: Malaysian Submarine Scandal Ramps Up French Lawyer Looks for Answers for Scandal in Kuala Lumpur 2009

November 13: Najib and the Murdered Mongolian The Malaysian murder case that won't die

April 27: French Legal Team in Malaysia to Probe Sub Deal Massive corruption suspected in billion-dollar deal tied to Prime Minister Najib

April 9: Altantuya’s Killers Judged Guilty But the case leaves an indelible stain on Malaysia's political and legal systems

March 20: The Confession that Never Was A statement by the confessed murderer of Altantuya Shaariibuu raises more questions

March 9: Again, What Did Najib Know and When Did He Know It? An influential French daily newspaper raises new questions over the murder of a Mongolian translator in Malaysia

2009

December 7: The Murder that Won’t Go Away Malaysian Prime Minister Najib again ducks questions over the death of a Mongolian translator

November 18: Cherchez The French Who got what for the sale of French submarines to Malaysia?

June 29: The French Connection In arms deals involving the French government, the chances of corruption are high

2008

November 24: Malaysia’s Mongolian Murder Mystery Continues The acquitted Abdul Razak Baginda does little to dispel suspicions over Deputy Prime Minister Najib’s involvement

November 4: The Fallout From a Malaysian Murder Verdict The acquittal of a top political figure in the murder of a Mongolian translator appears unlikely to stop controversy

October 31: Political Analyst Freed in Mongolian Murder Case If Abdul Razak Baginda didn’t order two elite cops to kill a Mongolian translator, who did?

October 20: A Malaysian Murder Trial to Nowhere Two years after Mongolian translator Altantuya Shaariibuu was murdered, her accusers continue to sit in a courtroom

July 27: Bringing Najib to Malaysia’s Witness Stand Unless Malaysia’s political opposition, it’s questionable if justice will be done

July 24: Malaysia’s Najib Ducks a Court Appearance A high court judge rules that the deputy prime minister doesn’t need to answer questions about a murder

July 21: Murder Most Foul Malaysia’s legal pursuit of Anwar Ibrahim is destroying the country’s reputation

July 4: Balasubramaniam’s Statutory Declarations

July 4: A Malaysian Private Eye Recants an Explosive Statement Complete reversal on charges against Malaysia's deputy prime minister raises questions of political pressure

June 23: Malaysian Deputy Premier’s Wife Allegedly Linked to Murder An influential Malaysian Web journalist alleges that Najib Tun Razak's wife was present when the Mongolian translator was murdered in 2006

April 30: Malaysian Deputy Premier Denies Murder Links Najib Tun Razak says he had nothing to do with the murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu. So why won’t he testify in court?

January 21: Malaysian Trial Drones Into Oblivion Slain Mongolian translator Altantuya Shaariibuu sinks further from public consciousness

2007

October 15: Whatever Happened to Altantuya Shaariibuu? Timid prosecution, long delays and avoiding a powerful witness in a sensational murder case raise questions about Malaysia’s judicial system

September 10: What did Najib know and when did he know it? Malaysia’s Mongolian murder trial raises more questions than it answers

September 3: Malaysia’s Politically Charged Murder Trial Resumes Delays, avoidance of the powerful mark trial over murdered Mongolian beauty

August 6: Rot and More Rot in Malaysia’s Judicial System The “retirement” of two top prosecutors is the latest fallout from the Mongolian murder trial, but the problems run deeper.

July 23: Some seriously troubling questions in Malaysia An unbelievable spectacle took place in the bizarre murder trial of Mongolian beauty Altantuya Shaaribuu on June 29. Karpal Singh, the lawyer for the victim’s family, attempted to ask a question about a “government official" allegedly seen in a photograph with the victim. At that point, both the prosecutor and the defense lawyer sprang to their feet in unison to block the question.

July 13: Prosecution Setbacks in Mongolian Murder Case Drama in a Malaysian courtroom as the prosecution treads water amid allegations of political pressure.

July 7: Maybe Najib Rides it Out Despite a damaging week of revelations in the Mongolian murder case, clout and connections are likely to keep Malaysia’s deputy prime minister where he is.

July 4: Witness Recounts Threats in Malaysian Murder Trial Star witness says she was coerced as prosecutors challenge inconsistencies.

July 1: Najib and Altantuya: A Picture Connects Them Testimony in a Malaysian courtroom links the deputy prime minister to a lurid murder case

June 22: Fury, Scorn and Murder in a Malaysian Courtroom Sex, violence and political intrigue emerge in stunning testimony over a Mongolian beauty’s brutal slaying.

June 3: Mongolian beauty’s Malaysian Murder Case Postponed Politically charged trial of three accused murderers is delayed as prosecution team is suddenly changed

March 30: Malaysia’s Deputy Premier Najib in Trouble? Pressure mounts in Kuala Lumpur to put the brakes on a scandal-tainted Malay politico

2006

November 8: Murder and Politics, Malaysia Style Ruling party to debate its future while the slaying of a fashion model ensnares prominent politico