Private investigator P. Balasubramaniam today retracted all statements that he had made about Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s alleged involvement with Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu in his statutory declaration dated July 1. “I wish to retract the entire contents of my statutory declaration dated July 1 2008. I was compelled to affirm the said statutory declaration under duress,” he said in his new statutory declaration dated today. Reacting later, PKR vice-president Sivarasa Rasiah and the former lawyer for P. Balasubramaniam, Americk Sidhu, questioned the second declaration and claimed that the private investigator was "intimidated" to make the change.

Speaking through M. Arulampalam, a lawyer who accompanied him at the news conference, Balasubramaniam told the reporters that the statements contained in his previous statutory declaration were inaccurate and not the truth.

The new statutory declaration states: “I wish to expressly state that at no material time did (Abdul) Razak (Abdullah) Baginda inform me that he was introduced to Altantuya Shaaribu by a VIP and at no material time did Razak Baginda inform me that Datuk Seri Najib had a sexual relationship with Altantuya Shaaribu and that she was susceptible to anal intercourse.

“At no material time did Razak Baginda inform me that Datuk Seri Najib instructed Razak Baginda to look after Altantuya Shaaribu as he did not want her to harass him since he was the Deputy Prime Minister;

“At no material time did Razak Baginda and or Altantuya Shaaribu inform me that Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, together with Razak Baginda and Altantuya Shaaribu, had met and all been together at a dinner in Paris;
“At no material time did Altantuya Shaaribu inform me that she wanted money in the sum of US$500,000 as a commission for a submarine deal she assisted with in Paris;

“At no time whatsoever did Razak Baginda and/or Altantuya Shaaribu inform me that Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak met with Altantuya Shaaribu in Singapore;

“At no time whatsoever did Altantuya Shaaribu inform me that she wanted me to arrange to see Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak;

“At no time did I tell the police during the course of their investigations about any relationship between Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Altantuya Shaaribu as no such relationship existed to my knowledge. Accordingly, the statement I signed before the police is complete;

“At no time did Razak Baginda inform me that he had sent Datuk Seri Najib an SMS the evening before he was arrested; and

“At no time did Razak Baginda inform me that Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had sent him an SMS on the day of his arrest to the effect that he was going to see the IGP (Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan) that day and that the matter should be resolved and for Razak Baginda to remain calm."

Yesterday, Najib reiterated that that he never knew Altantuya and referred to the claim linking him with the murdered Mongolian woman as “a terrible lie”.

Najib described this latest attempt to connect him to the crime as a
“malicious, slanderous fabrication aimed at tarnishing my image.”

Later in the afternoon, in a Press conference to counter Balasubramaniam’s second SD, his former lawyer, Americk Singh Sidhu, claimed he was “extremely surprised” that Balasubramaniam, in the space of 24 hours, engaged the services of another lawyer and affirmed another statutory declaration swearing the first one was untrue and that he was forced to sign it.

“As I am familiar with the character of Balasubramaniam, having spent hours with him recording his statement, I am very skeptical that he has signed the second statutory declaration of his own free will,” Americk said. “I am convinced he has been intimidated to do so by either threats or promises, as I can think of no other reason.”

PKR vice-president Sivarasa Rasiah, who was also present, confirmed again that there is a consistent pattern of manipulation of the criminal justice system in this country.

“Who would have a motive to send Balasubramaniam to make such damaging allegations against the police, the AG’s Chamber and Datuk Seri Najib with the idea that he would then withdraw it the next day to attempt to embarrass us?” he said. “It’s difficult to think of anyone.”

Sivarasa repeated his demand that a Royal Commission be established to investigate which of the two statutory declarations represented the truth.