All is set for the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to record a statement from private investigator P Balasubramaniam next week.

His lawyers will be allowed to be present during questioning, based on a reported assurance from director of investigations Mustafar Ali.

p balasubramaniam private investigator altantuya murder case Lawyer Americk Singh Sidhu welcomed the MACC's willingness to meet Balasubramaniam ( left ) between July 5 and 7, based on a letter dated June 21 that was sent to his office.

"We are eagerly awaiting the arrival of your officers here at a hotel in London. Balasubramaniam will also have all documents relevant to the purposes of the interview," Americk said in reply.

A copy of his correspondence was made available to Malaysiakini .

Americk pointed out that the June 21 letter states that MACC protocol does not allow a lawyer to be present during the interview.

In his response to the MACC, the lawyer said: "We are not in agreement with your views as my client has a fundamentally entrenched constitutional right to have a counsel of his choice present during the interview. This would take precedence over any protocol your department may have unilaterally developed.

NONE "However, we are extremely pleased to note that this argument has now been superceded by your magnanimous concession in allowing Balasubramaniam's lawyers to be present during the interview, as stated by Mustafar, as reported in The Star ."

Americk ( right ) hopes that allowing the presence of lawyers when witnesses are interviewed will improve the public perception of MACC, in light of the negative publicity the commission has received in the recent past.

"This will encourage more people to come forward to assist them in their investigations," he said.

Persistence pays off

Last Friday, Berita Harian had quoted Mustafar as saying that three MACC officers will go to London in the middle of next month to record the private investigator's statement.

The investigations concern the private investigator's statutory declaration in July 2008 pertaining to the murder of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu, but which he retracted a day later.

His declaration had stated that then deputy premier and defence minister Najib Abdul Razak was the one who had introduced Altantuya to political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda.

Balasubramaniam alleged later that he had met Najib's younger brother Nazim, who had played a role in the retraction of the first statutory declaration, which is the subject of this investigation.

Since then, MACC had interviewed Nazim and businessman Deepak Jaikishan. Najib himself has denied any involvement with Altantuya.

Balasubramaniam's lawyers had been trying to arrange the meeting with the MACC since early this year, to no avail.

Lawyers Manjeet Singh Dhillon and Americk then put the offer on the table once more for a meeting in London. The MACC agreed to this, but had kept mum on the details until last Friday's announcement.