President urges Malaysian PM Mahathir to reopen murder case of Sh. Altantuya
In a letter to newly reappointed Prime Minister of Malaysia Mahathir bin Mohamad, President Kh. Battulga urged the Malaysian government to reopen the murder case of Mongolian national Sh. Altantuya in 2006.
Sh. Altantuya was a model and interpreter working in Malaysia. She was killed with military-grade explosives in a forest on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur. In 2015, two former police officers were sentenced to death for the crime. But reports have alleged that the officers served as bodyguards for Najib
Razak, then deputy prime minister and recently, sixth prime minister of Malaysia.
President Kh. Battulga underlined that reopening the case would not only help justice but also ease tensions between the two countries.
“As the president of Mongolia, I pay special attention to the grave crime committed in Malaysia on October 18, 2006 – the murder of Ms. Altantuya Shariibuu, a Mongolian national and a mother of two children. It has created an unfavorable atmosphere in the bilateral relations between our two counties and, especially between the people. Therefore, I sincerely hope that your excellency prime minister will pay attention in bringing justice, implementing court decision and settling the civil suit of the family of the victim in a fair manner to invigorate the atmosphere in the bilateral relations between our two countries,” the letter read.
It is alleged that Abdul Razak Baginda, an aide of Najib, received "commission" payments from the French submarine builder DCNS to purchase two Scorpene submarines by the Malaysian Ministry of Defense in 2002. Sh. Altantuya, hired as a French translator to facilitate the purchase of the submarines and alleged mistress to Baginda, reportedly tried to blackmail Baginda for 500,000 USD and was said to have subsequently been murdered.
While the letter urged Mahathir to reopen the murder case, the letter was mainly a congratulatory to Mahathir for his reappointment as the prime minister of Malaysia.
“Under your excellency’s able leadership, during your previous tenure as prime minister for 22 years, Malaysia has intensively developed and its reputation in regional and international arena has strengthened tremendously,” the letter stated.
“It is a pleasure to recall your excellency’s visit to Mongolia in 1997, which has greatly contributed to the development of bilateral relations and cooperation between our two countries. I am confident that your excellency will extend valuable support in restoring and activating the traditionally friendly relations between Mongolia and Malaysia as well as strengthening the people-to-people ties,” Kh. Battulga added.
...I sincerely hope that your excellency prime minister will pay attention in bringing justice, implementing court decision and settling the civil suit of the family of the victim in a fair manner...