The lead prosecutor in the Altantuya murder trial was seen playing badminton with trial judge Mohd Zaki Md Yasin, thus the reason for the last minute change in the prosecuting team, explained Attorney General Abdul Gani Patail late yesterday.

According to a Bernama report, Abdul Gani had to then move swiftly to remove Deputy Public Prosecutor Salehuddin Saidin from the case fearing negative perception on the fair conduct of the trial.

Abdul Gani said realising the sensitivity of the case, he decided to withdraw Salehuddin from leading the prosecution team.

In an immediate reaction today, Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang commended the AG for his explanation but questioned if the explanation would be fully accepted by everyone.

"This is because there will be those who will ask why the judge Mohd Zaki had not recused himself from the trial instead," asked Lim in a statement.

"Questions will be asked as to why the initial judge to preside over the trial, KN Segara, was taken off the case as the reason given, that he had more partly-heard cases, is weak and unconvincing."

Lim also said that there was another pertinent question in the minds of many Malaysians.

"Why Abdul Gani is not personally leading the prosecution in the trial when it is likely to be the most high-profile trial under his tenure as Attorney-General?"

Lim wondered if Abdul Gani would give a satisfactory explanation to that question as well.

Open to negative perception

Talking to Bernama yesterday, Abdul Gani said he was only made aware of the badminton friendship between the DPP Salehuddin and the judge last Thursday, a mere three days before the trial was scheduled to begin on Monday, June 4.

He said he had no choice but to request for adequate time to prepare the case, thus the request at the start of the trial from the new prosecutor Tun Abdul Majid Tun Hamzah for a one-month postponement.

Justice Mohd Zaki however only allowed for a two-week adjournment for the new prosecution team to prepare for the high-profile murder trial of Mongolian national Altantuya Sharriibuu. The case will now be heard on June 18.

"Concern has been raised that such situation may be construed and exploited to certain advantage by different quarters for whatever purposes that may attract negative perception on the integrity of the Attorney-General's Chambers and the court and the fair conduct of the trial," he was quoted as saying in Bernama .

Experienced team in place

Abdul Gani added he had also placed two other senior DPPs, Wong Chiang Kiat and Manoj Kurup, in the prosecution team.

He said only Salehuddin was excluded and replaced by the experienced Tun Abdul Majid ( photo ).

"I have to consider the fact that the whole administration of justice system should not be questioned by the mere allegation of perceived prejudice and to ensure that the right of the affected parties to a fair trial is upheld," he said.

Following the sudden twist in the case on Monday, many people have questioned the last-minute change of prosecutors, giving rise to a lot of speculation.

Two members of the Special Action Force, C/Insp Azilah Hadri, 31, and Kpl Sirul Azhar Umar, 36, are charged with murdering Altantuya in Mukim Bukit Raja, Selangor, between 10pm on Oct 19 and 1am on Oct 20 last year.

Political analysts Abdul Razak Baginda, 47, is accused of abetting the two policemen at the Bangunan Getah Asli in Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur, between 9.54am and 11.05am on Oct 18 last year. All three face the death penalty if convicted.

Altantuya, 28, was shot dead and her body was blown up with explosives and her remains were found in a forested area in Puncak Alam, Shah Alam, on Nov 7.