Q&A: Najib to make a good PM

Political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda held his first press conference since his acquittal from the Altantunya Shaariibuu murder case. Below are excerpts from the 50-minute press conference at Hotel Maya in Kuala Lumpur.

Question: Do you wish to comment on Altantuya’s relationship with (Deputy Prime Minister) Najib (Abdul Razak)?

Abdul Razak: No, (Altantunya had) none whatsoever contact with Najib

Your relationship with Najib?

Well, the media, bloggers and man on the street have described my relationship with Najib in all forms - as a close aide, close friend, associate, advisor. In jest, to describe (the relationship) why don’t you take your pick?

My relationship with Najib has evolved over the years. Obviously, there was a professional relationship and this goes back to the early 1990s. Having known him professionally, I’ve also got to know him personally.

What about PI (private investigator P) Balasubramaniam’s statutory declaration. Can you comment?

I would like to say here, as you know, the two statutory declarations by Bala are now under police investigations. I had been interviewed and I had given my full cooperation to the police after my release and what I have said today is what I told the police that Najib has never met the deceased.

How do you know?

It’s like asking me... well, I know... I know.

(Quizzed again on his relationship with Najib)

Well, you know, I do not have any formal relationship with Datuk Seri Najib. At one point, people say I am his political secretary. I never held any official position vis a vis to the deputy prime minister. I have my own plans and I will pursue my plans.

What are your plans?

I am going back to UK for a simple reason, many of you may not be aware that I was a student at Oxford and on the 28th of September, 2006 - two weeks before my arrest - I submitted my dissertation for my doctorate, having studied at Trinity College Oxford for a number of years.

So when I was arrested, the university placed my dissertation on hold. Now that I am released, I have informed the university that I can now be examined. So I am going back to have it examined... I should get my doctorate sometime early next year.

What are your thoughts on the civil suit against you?

Okay, you must appreciate that the main trial is on and there is a civil proceeding. Yes, as you know, the deceased’s family has taken a legal suit against the government of Malaysia, myself and the other two accused persons. I am not at liberty to elaborate on that. I hope you can appreciate that.

What about the change of lawyers?

You mean, in the beginning? I am flanked by lawyers (indicating the lawyers who are sitting beside him) and the legal profession has its ethics and I don’t think I can reveal why... I hope you can appreciate that.

Why did you cancel the press conference the last time, were you afraid the prosecution would appeal (against the acquittal)? Can you comment, why the prosecution did not want to appeal?

I can’t comment on why they did not appeal. But I can certainly comment on ... I must explain to you the reason why I canceled (the press conference), it had nothing to do with my appeal.

I was confident that when I was released, I would (be able) face the outside world, especially the press. But after a few days, I found myself not ready. You have to be in prison to find out what it is (like).

My mind was incoherent, it was jumping from one point to another, losing things... cause in prison you can’t lose things as you do not have many things anyway. In prison, the space is limited, you can’t lose anything.

I lost my glasses, I cannot find it now that my daughter has gone back to the UK - there’s one less person to look for my things. To be frank with you, it has nothing to do with the prosecution filing an appeal or not.

What was your relationship with the deceased?

You know there is a court proceeding and the person has died, let the person rest in peace. No point for me to say this and that. I know there are a lot of lies being spread. Let me give you an example of a lie and this came from a very reputable media, let’s not mention which. It stated that I met her at a party. Where did that come from? Let’s leave it at that.

Can you comment on the alleged SMSes between (Abdul Razak’s former lawyer Muhammad) Shafee Abdullah and Najib?

On the alleged SMSes, I was in prison then and I was in police remand in Sungai Buloh.

Have you met Najib after your release?

I have not met him, I have not seen him, SMSed him, emailed him. I have not been in touch with him at all.

As a result of the case, do you feel like running away after this?

Let me say this to you, why the hell I would want to run away? I am innocent. I have been acquitted by the court. I want to stay here, this is my home and I’ll be back here. You will see me back in a couple of months’ time, I will be here as I want to go and get my doctorate. Unless I get a cushy job, like prime minister of UK for example, of course I would stay there.

You claimed that there are liars out there. Can you elaborate?

For the last two years, I did not realise the reach of the borderless world, the Internet world and how bloggers had taken centre stage. Over the last two weeks, I had checked with my friends abroad and none of them were Malaysians and they say to me there was a period in British society when bloggers ran supreme but after a while they realised that bloggers are bloggers.

I can start a blog and I can say anything with impunity. So, he said to me the fad will just go away. So, oh my God, I can be a blogger, my daughter can be a blogger and a taxi man can be a blogger and that’s it, he can manufacture facts.

You have said that you want to take action against the media?

I never actually made any comments whatsoever until today. I have been silent until today. I have never said I will take legal action. That’s all I want to say for the time being.

On the (alleged) photograph of Najib with Altantuya?

The photograph (appeared) while I was in Sungai Buloh. I was also being investigated by the Multimedia Commission and I was shown the photograph. You must be a real idiot or moron to believe that the photograph is authentic. To begin with, the girl was not even the deceased. So if you guys believe in the photograph, you guys have been taken for a ride.

There is speculation that the deceased was murdered because of the arms deal. Do you want to comment on that?

My press conference is specifically for what I have gone through the past two years. I am aware of the insinuations, all sorts of stories about the linkage and all that. There is no linkage whatsoever, I would like to tell you about the time frame. That is why in my statement I said I am shocked and appalled by the extent of lies, linkages made between the deceased and some deals. I am sure all of you are aware of that.

But everyone is lazy these days as no one checks the facts. The purported deal was signed in June 2002, I first met the deceased in November 2004. I just failed to see the connection but it went on and on, the liars, the lies that I have been getting, the seditious lies that I have been mentioning in the statement.

On the allegations made by bloggers?

I cannot comment on that, cause I don’t know if it is under police investigation.

What are your experiences/lessons in prison?

When you are down, you are all alone, but basically I had my family. You are on your own (and) that was a shock to me. There are many lessons (while in prison) but I can’t really sit down with you to tell them all.

Do you feel betrayed by friends?

It is not a question of betrayal. It’s just human nature if I reflect back, I too would shy away from someone in trouble. You did that to me, and it’s payback time. It’s quite natural - no sense of betrayal whatsoever.

Remember when you were first charged, there was an outburst in court where your wife said ‘Why is my husband charged, he does not want to be the prime minister’ Can you comment on that?

Well, you can appreciate my wife was quite stressful. You tend to forget that you had not experienced this. When you are in prison, you can see your family members once a week, and even then, there is no physical contact as there is a glass and you speak through the phone - connected by phone. I can appreciate my wife’s stressful state. Obviously, I do not want to be a prime minister.

Once when you were in court, you were blaming Pak Lah for something. Can you elaborate on that?

No comments on that because I do feel the frustration when cases were postponed and all that. I feel it was different when you are innocent - and I am innocent - I felt things were dragging. That was all frustration.

Would you write a book on your experience?

Well, if I say yes, you will be haunting me - when is it coming out? My first plan is to finish my doctorate. I just want to get it.

What about public perception?

Let me put it this way, I am innocent. At some point I said, God willing, insya’allah, I will be released because I am innocent. At some point I knew, I knew, I will be released. Because I cannot imagine that an innocent man, can be found guilty.

There were talks that I was worried about public perception, the media. People do not realise what I went through. I went through the justice system, don’t forget that people forget that I spent 22 months in jail. So to me I am innocent, and I will at some point hope...

What was your strength (during that period)?

Obviously, the family has given me strength and I have became closer to Allah. I regard myself quite lucky cause at some point of your life I always belief something bad is going to happen to you and God has given a better option to you than death. Cause you can die of a heart attack even in imprisonment, this was a better option than death as I have a chance to reflect on my life and that helped me significantly. My fellow friends (and) inmates inside there helped me also.

It’s amazing how human beings adopt to their circumstances quickly. And also there is a question that you do not have options, you have to adopt quickly that until today, I am amazed that I could survive 22 months. Alhamdulillah, I survived.

What would you like to say to the family of the deceased?

I have said my piece, I never knew the family of the deceased. I have already expressed publicly in my statement that I am sympathetic to the family of the deceased. That is all I have to say.

Why do some describe you as being close to Najib, a close aide?

You know what a close aide is. I am just a friend. I have personal contact with him. An aide is someone who holds a position, like an aide to President Barack Obama, who will be selecting his team and this his special assistant.

And Datuk Seri Najib and Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as prime minister, they have their own array of aides or assistants. So I was never an aide. Well, it’s something very personal, at a personal level, and we leave it at that.

How have you been the last few weeks?

I have been eating a lot. I have been eating a lot and put on a lot of weight. I have to. So for nearly 22 months, I have not done anything really. Suddenly for three weeks, I have to do so many things.

And also in prison everything is regimented, everything a schedule. This time you have this, this time you have that. Time is all planned. This is the time you eat, sleep. So, when I am out, I have been thinking, I don’t have time but I do have time. So I am adjusting myself. Not too well, I am afraid.

(On whether he had been reading)

A lot. There was a period I started reading biographies, and then the last one year, I focused on the Middle East and books on Islam cause I wanted to know more about the Prophet Rasullullah s.a.w - a whole range of biographies on the Prophet and the Caliphate, because I wanted to know more about the evolution of Islam in the early days.

And I read a lot about political Islam as well, cause I know it was a contemporary topic. I read things which I do not have time to read when I am outside.

Where did you meet Altantuya?

I do not want to reveal where. All I wanted to say is that Najib never met the woman. From there, whoever said whatever are all lies.

There is speculation that our justice system is not right?

I know there has been a lot of speculation on that. I don’t sense it at all. What has happened to me is, I was caught in the system. And I went through the system. I am glad to say I survived the system. My wife tells me, she reminded me, she said the system put you in and the system will get you out. I went through the system.

What about (Altantuya’s father) Shaariibuu Setev’s perception?

I can’t please someone else, I can’t comment on that.

Shaariibuu is bringing this matter to the International Court of Justice...

He can do whatever he wants to do. I can do whatever I want to do. He is free to do all that.

On the damage to your reputation?

Thank you, I did not know I had a reputation. Let me put it this way, it’s just like to close one chapter of my life and open another chapter. That’s it. The sooner I get on with my life, the better. I just want to move forward. I do not want to look back.

What about the public’s opinion about you?

You know, I can’t really be responsible. When you say public opinion, I really wonder who do you have in mind. Let me say like ‘people’s power’. Like the Thailand people are against the government. Or like in the Philippines during the pre-Cory Aquino period, 500,000 people marched down the streets, hang on a minute, the media blows it out of proportion. Is it democracy? As opposed to 100 million people.

If I have money and pay everyone RM10 to protest against the government, is that public opinion, people’s power? It’s not! It’s just manipulation. So if you say public opinion as if there is a coherent, consistent system of concensus. I do not want to pander to the so-called public opinion. Who is the public opinion? Can a blogger form a public opinion. If that is the case, I can run you down as well. And I say this is public opinion.

So I will be very sceptical to say public opinion. I guess the Malaysian society has developed, we should question rather than accept if we dissent to a level for a taxi driver who does not know a fact and it forms a public opinion. So I feel sorry for society if it has descended to such a low level.

Let’s not forget Malaysia talks about knowledge society, thinking public, what we are seeing is one blogger, two bloggers can form an opinion and that becomes public. C’mon give me a break.

Are you talking about any particular blogger?

I would not say any particular blogger. I would say the idea of a blogger can form opinion makers. That’s my point and that becomes the truth and that worries me. A blogger can become a source of truth, than we are in trouble. And if there’s a global economic downturn for the moment, can you imagine enemies of the state using blogs to erode confidence. You are talking something sinister.

What happened to me is just between me and the deceased. Can you imagine what if a concerted effort is taken against the state, but let’s not forget Malaysia is not alone. Many developed countries had gone through that phase for a while, they say ‘oh, it’s bloggers, let’s not worry about (it)’.

Is this press statement sufficient?

Even my press statement today will be twisted and turned. I’ve said so many times if I tell you that this is a recorder and you report that Razak had a gun, I cannot be responsible for that. And if I say it’s a recorder but you say Razak held a gun or a bottle of whisky whatsoever, what can I do? I just want to tell the truth. And if somebody twists and turns, I cannot be responsible. At least, I have gone out to say my piece.

Do you held the two policemen (who were charged) responsible, do you blame them?

I can’t comment on that.

What are your thoughts about Najib?

I have known him for quite a while. I would say this, he would make a good prime minister. I have known him over the years and he is a well-read person. We had countless talks about books, I would exchange books, he would lend me books and he sometimes took my books. If there are things he is impressed about, we would discuss it. He is aware what is going on in the world. Intellectually, he is not bad and I say he would make a good PM.

What about your future plans?

I am happy with my freedom for the moment. I do not want to be tied up with anything or any appointment. I like to be tied up with something more intellectual, that is always my interest. I would rather be global in nature than specific on Malaysia.

There are questions over the SMSes between Najib and Shafee, about intervention...

Why don’t you be critical to what you are told and not take it at face value. Someone says intervention and everyone jumps on the bandwagon, without questioning the validity of that (claim).

For instance, I was charged, went to prison, waited for my trial, went on for nearly a year, 151 days. I did not meet my family, I could not touch them until the court session started, you know (for a) short period. I went through all that. How can there be interference if I had gone all through that. God Almighty, come on.

Has anyone congratulated you (on the acquittal)?

Interesting question, a lot of people came up to me and wished me the best. Some actually said ‘congratulations’. Some total strangers came up to me and said, ‘We are happy you are out’. I was pleasantly surprised. I initially thought I would be frowned upon. I thought I was going to be a leper. But there are people, when I walk around, some were whispering ... and all that.

I want to make a clarification in general. More often when you read bloggers, they do not base their writing on facts, it is a lot of heresay, this person told this, that person told me this. That bird ... rather than I was there, I did this and I was told. Let’s be more critical in what we read, do not accept things verbatim. I was surprised how easy it was to tell lies on the Internet, blogs.