Any information on the gruesome murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu thrown up by investigations into the purchase of Scorpene submarines by Malaysian officials will be made "public".

NONE Joseph Brehem ( right ), the French lawyer engaged by human rights NGO Suaram to look into the highly suspicious case, said Altantuya's murder was "tightly linked" to the illegal commissions issued by DCN, France's largest defence conglomerate.

"Yes, it is very much tightly linked to it but for French jurisdiction to make an inquiry, the crime must occur in France, to a French victim by French perpetrators," he added, saying this is not the case with the death of the Mongolian national in 2006.

"But if for any reason, during the investigation, it is revealed that DCN members had met with (PM) Najib Razak, (Abdul) Razak Baginda and Altantuya, and the meeting was linked to any corruption and commission, the judge will look into it," he added.

If the information can be used, they can use it freely, but the purpose of the enquiry cannot be to find out about the absence or presence of Altantuya at these meetings, he told Malaysiakini .

Brehem added that if there was indeed a meeting between DCN and the trio, the information would be made public.

"We will not be inquiring into this aspect and we cannot force the judge to inquire into this aspect but once we obtain the information, it can be made public," he said.

abdul razak baginda pc 201108 04 A hefty commission, amounting to 114 million euro (RM534.8 million), was purportedly paid to a Malaysian company owned by the spouse of Razak, Najib's close associate.

Razak ( left ) was on trial for being allegedly abetting in the murder of Altantuya, but escaped the gallows without his defence being called.

No motive for Altantuya's murder was revealed in the controversial the trial.

The opposition continues to accuse Najib of being linked in the murder as his two bodyguards were charged with pulling the trigger and blowing up the woman with military explosives, but he has repeatedly denied it.