The alleged circumstances surrounding the murder of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu have stirred media interest in France.

A statement by her father Dr Setev Shaariibuu was sent to the French press yesterday, being timed to coincide with Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's four-day official visit to Paris.

Some quarters have linked Najib to Altantuya's mysterious death in Shah Alam three years ago.

najib tun razak and altantuya She was 28 when she was killed and her body blown up with C4 explosives. Two police personnel have been found guilty of the murder, but have appealed the verdict.

Altantuya was the former lover of political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda, a close associate of Najib.

Abdul Razak was acquitted of abetting in the murder, while Najib has strenuously denied any involvement with Altantuya.

Shaariibuu: I tried to meet Najib

In the statement, Shaariibuu said he has been admitted to hospital and that he regrets that he cannot be in Paris to meet Najib.

"I had so wished to speak to Mr Najib and send him this message and to shake his hand. I tried to meet him at the Malaysian Parliament in 2007, but he left the House early and my trip was not complete," he said.

"I hope PM Mr Najib Razak enjoys his trip to France, where a deal with a French company - which his close friend Abdul Razak Baginda helped broker - led to the circumstances surrounding my daughter's murder."

Altantuya was said to have been a translator for a Malaysian company in a deal to purchase French submarines worth billion of Euros. Najib was then defence minister.

altantuya murder father shaaribuu setev pc 140607 frustration "She knows many things that neither the Malaysian nor the French public know about," her father ( right ) claimed, adding that he holds Najib responsible for her death.

He pointed out that Najib's aide de camp DSP Musa Safri had allegedly ordered two policemen to "deal with Altantuya" when she had asked Abdul Razak to pay her commission.

"With so many closely linked to Najib in this murder, it is impossible (for) and irresponsible (of) (him) to now wash his hands off this matter and act as if none of this tragedy has befallen my daughter and my family.

"The French company involved in the Malaysian deal also cannot escape with impunity. My daughter would not have met her cruel death if the deal had been transparent and fair."

‘ Strong interest '

PKR's Batu parliamenarian Tian Chua, meanwhile, has finally admitted that his visit to Paris was related to Shaariibuu's statement, although this had been denied yesterday.

In a statement, he disclosed that he has been in Paris for more than a week and that the French media are more interested in Altantuya's murder than in Najib's visit.

suhakam suara keadilan 250309 tian chua Chua ( left ) claimed that Najib's officers had failed to provide answers to the French media when bombarded with questions on the benefits brought about by bilateral ties between Malaysia and France.

"None of (them) dared to answer this. Everyone kept quiet. However, it is clear that Najib's trip has made the media more interested in re-opening the murder case and (aspects) surrounding the French submarine deal," he said.

The media are also looking for Altantuya's old friends in Paris to get "a different perspective on the news story".

"I have also met a few French parliamentarians to talk about human rights, media freedom and bilateral relationships. But what excites them the most are the circumstances surrounding the French submarines deal and Altantuya's murder."