VZCZCXRO0823
OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHKL #0529/01 1750915
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 230915Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1247
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHUM/AMEMBASSY ULAANBAATAR PRIORITY 0069
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUALA LUMPUR 000529 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR EAP/MTS AND INR 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/23/2028 
TAGS: PGOV PINR KJUS KDEM MY
SUBJECT: BLOGGER ALLEGES DPM'S WIFE AT MURDER SCENE 
 
REF: KUALA LUMPUR 335 - SEDITION CHARGES AGAINST BLOGGER 
 
Classified By: Political Section Chief Mark D. Clark, reason 1.4 (b and 
 d). 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1.  (C) Controversial internet journalist Raja Petra executed 
a sworn statement on June 18 to the effect that Deputy Prime 
Minister Najib's wife, Rosmah Mansor, was at the scene of the 
murder of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibbu in October 
2006, and that PM Abdullah and a Royal received information 
to that effect.  While the mainstream press has shied away 
from printing Rosmah's name, Kuala Lumpur is abuzz with this 
latest explosive allegation.  PM Abdullah has thus far 
remained silent, while the national police chief and Attorney 
General said they would investigate.  Raja Petra, who faces 
sedition charges for earlier claims, informed us that the 
Attorney General's Office filed a police report on the 
matter, and he expected to be called in for questioning soon. 
 While the latest allegations of Rosmah's presence at the 
murder seem implausible, they nevertheless will have 
resonance with a Malaysian public that does not have 
confidence in the integrity of the Altantuya murder 
investigation.  Continued public attention to such reports 
also could damage Najib's front-runner status as PM 
Abdullah's successor.  End Summary. 
 
Rosmah at Murder Scene, PM Has Report 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (U) Controversial internet journalist Raja Petra 
voluntarily completed a sworn statement ("statutory 
declaration") at a Malaysian court on June 18, in which he 
affirmed that he was "reliably informed" Deputy Prime 
Minister Najib's wife Rosmah Mansor, together with her aide 
Norhayati and acting Colonel Aziz Buyong (Norhayati's 
husband), were present at the scene of the murder of 
Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibbu in October 2006. 
Raja Petra also stated that military intelligence provided a 
report with this information to Prime Minister Abdullah, 
which was subsequently given to Abdullah's son-in-law Khairy 
Jamaluddin "for safe-keeping," and that one of Malaysia's 
traditional rulers also was briefed on the matter.  Raja 
Petra did not reveal the source of this information.  Raja 
Petra remains indicted for sedition for his earlier internet 
reports that implied DPM Najib and wife Rosmah were connected 
to the on-going Altantuya murder case (ref A). 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Internet reports of Raja Petra's declaration 
emerged on June 20, and the full text became available on his 
Malaysia Today website.  Some of Malaysia's mainstream media 
briefly reported Raja Petra's new allegations, but carefully 
avoided identifying Rosmah Mansor as the "prominent VIP" 
named in his statement.  An aide to Najib reportedly 
described the statement as "mind-boggling."  Inspector 
General of Police Musa Hassan told reporters the police would 
look into the "highly inflammatory" allegations, and could 
take action against Raja Petra if they were found to be 
untrue, while Attorney General Abdul Gani Patil stated his 
office would look "seriously" into the matter. 
 
Heavy Buzz in Parliament 
------------------------ 
 
¶4.  (C) As members of Parliament gathered June 23 for the 
opening of the second parliamentary session, Raja Petra's 
story competed with speculation of a no-confidence vote 
against PM Abdullah for the attention of lawmakers. 
Opposition MPs, parliamentary watchers, and journalists who 
spoke with us at Parliament all remarked that Raja Petra had 
put himself at great risk, and therefore they speculated that 
he must have some evidence in hand.  If this is a bluff, "it 
will cost him and his family," one MP remarked.  Prominent 
opposition MP Lim Kit Siang said he was troubled that the PM 
had kept quiet about the allegations.  Later on June 23, Kit 
Siang introduced an emergency parliamentary motion to discuss 
Raja Petra's statement.  The Parliament Speaker is required 
to accept or reject on an emergency motion within 24 hours. 
 
Raja Petra Ready for Police 
--------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (C) We spoke briefly with Raja Petra and his wife Marina 
on June 23.  They related that the AGO had filed a police 
report regarding the affidavit.  A seemingly confident Raja 
Petra said, "I am ready and eagerly waiting for the police to 
question me," and took exception to the threatening tone of 
IGP Musa's remarks.  He also implied he had further evidence 
to implicate DPM Najib and his wife, and asked rhetorically 
what action the police would take "if the allegations are 
true." 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶6.  (C) Putting aside the question of Najib's links to the 
case, the allegation that Najib's wife would be present at 
the Altantuya murder scene strikes us as very implausible, 
though fully in keeping with Raja Petra's sometimes wild and 
highly emotional reporting.  The Malaysian public and 
political elite, however, have no confidence in the integrity 
of the government's investigation into the 2006 murder of 
Altantuya.  The government's inept and gruelingly slow 
prosecution of the case against DPM Najib's former advisor 
Razak Baginda and two soldiers from Najib's security detail, 
and the authorities' decision early on to limit the scope of 
the investigation to exclude any further links with DPM 
Najib, have sent clear signals of political interference. 
Against this backdrop, most Malaysians will believe there is 
at least some truth in Raja Petra's affidavit.  Amidst the 
leadership struggle within the ruling UMNO party, emerging 
fractures in the National Front coalition, and maneuvering 
for a no-confidence vote against PM Abdullah, the latest 
allegations add to the nation's sense of political turmoil. 
Continued public focus on such allegations also could harm 
Najib's front-runner status as PM Abdullah's successor. 

KEITH