Former Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak firmly denied allegations of being the mastermind behind the 2006 murder of Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu. Speaking in court on October 11, 2024, Najib reiterated that he had never met Altantuya and was innocent of the crime, refuting claims that he had instructed members of the Special Action Unit (UTK) to kill her.
Najib, 72, who is currently serving a prison sentence for corruption, took the stand in his defamation lawsuit against former Attorney General (AG) Tan Sri Tommy Thomas and the publisher GB Gerakbudaya Enterprise. The lawsuit centers on a book authored by Thomas titled *My Story: Justice in the Wilderness*, which allegedly linked Najib to Altantuya’s murder. In the book, Thomas implied that Najib orchestrated the murder through two UTK officers, Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar.
Najib, defending himself in the Shah Alam High Court, insisted that he had no involvement in the murder. “At the time of the incident, I was the Deputy Prime Minister. I had never met Altantuya, and I am completely innocent of this crime,” he said during the proceedings. Najib explained that his connection to the case stemmed from his acquaintance with Abdul Razak Baginda, a defense analyst who was romantically linked to Altantuya and had been involved in a major arms deal. Razak Baginda played a significant role in securing a billion-dollar submarine contract from a French defense company, a deal which was under Najib's administration as Deputy Prime Minister.
Najib expressed his dismay at being implicated in the murder by Thomas and criticized the former AG for not verifying the facts before making such serious allegations in the book. “Altantuya was not part of any high-level negotiations or dealings. As per media reports, she was an interpreter, but I never had any direct involvement with her. The claim that I ordered her murder is baseless,” Najib stated.
The former Prime Minister further emphasized that the accusations were politically motivated and aimed at tarnishing his reputation. He specifically pointed out that Thomas, who had led the prosecution against him in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and SRC International corruption cases, wrote the book after stepping down as Attorney General. Najib accused Thomas of deliberately publishing the book to destroy his credibility, not only within Malaysia but also internationally.
Najib contended that the publication of the book had caused irreparable damage to his reputation. “It’s clear that this book was meant to smear my name and label me as the mastermind behind the murder. My integrity has been unfairly attacked, and this has caused great harm to me and my family,” Najib told the court. He is seeking general, aggravated, and exemplary damages, as well as an order for the removal of the defamatory content from the book.
The defamation case continues, with the next hearing scheduled for June 30, 2025. The outcome of the trial will likely impact Najib’s ongoing efforts to clear his name from the multiple controversies surrounding his time in office, including the unresolved Altantuya murder case.
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