PEKAN: Datuk Seri Najib Razak yesterday pledged he would carry out his responsibilities as an Umno member, elected representative and deputy prime minister to the letter, irrespective of the challenges that come his way.

He said he would not let challenges, including slander, keep him from his responsibilities.

"My wife and I will face these challenges.

"The truth will prevail," he said at the joint opening of the meetings of the 139 branches of the Pekan Umno division yesterday.

Najib also said that he would not shy away from helping anyone who sought his help.
"I will continue to receive people at my home to help them in whatever way that I can, including signing a letter of assistance and giving allocations."

He called on party members and leaders of the division to continue helping the people and strengthen the party.

He also told them not to just seek positions in the upcoming party elections.

"The struggle does not end with you gaining positions, but what you do with that position."

Party members, Najib said, should not be satisfied with whatever they achieved, but must continue to help the people.

Party members must accept the way the political pendulum swung, Najib added.



At an earlier function, he described P. Balasubramaniam's initial statutory declaration which linked him with Altantuya Shaariibuu as a "political ploy".

Najib acknowledged the allegations could have a negative impact on him, but said he had to face the fallout from the statutory declaration.

"I have to accept the fact that politics in the country has become dirty. "

Najib added there were people willing to do anything to achieve their aims.

He said he would not seek an injunction to prevent issues relating to the statutory declaration.

"I will not hide behind an injunction.

"All this was done not to find out the truth, but to influence public opinion against our leaders.

"That is why I had to reply to it (initially) in a political manner."

Private investigator Balasubramaniam had, in a statutory declaration on Tuesday and announced in a press conference two days later, stated Najib had introduced murdered Mongolian Altantuya to Abdul Razak Baginda.

He claimed that Najib had told Abdul Razak that he (Najib) was in a sexual relationship with Altantuya and that she was to be "looked after" so that she did not harass him now that he was the deputy prime minister.

Balasubramaniam, who was employed by Abdul Razak at the time of Altantuya's death, had, alleged that Abdul Razak had told him that Najib had sent him (Abdul Razak) a text message saying the deputy prime minister would meet with the inspector-general of police to resolve the matter.

However, the day after the press conference, which was called by Parti Keadilan Rakyat de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Balasubramaniam called another session with the media where copies of another statutory declaration retracting the previous one were distributed.

In the second declaration, Balasubramaniam claimed he had been under duress when he had made the first declaration.

Najib, who said he did not know why Balasubramaniam had revoked the original declaration, added that he would not take any legal action against him.

"Even before I could think of the next step, he has withdrawn it.

"I leave it to the authorities to take action," he said.

Najib also said that he was disappointed that an opposition leader was involved in the press conference involving the first statutory declaration.

"This is something which should not have arisen as it involves three people facing serious charges in the courts.

"Why is there a need to involve a political aspect?

"This not a question of politics. This is about the law which we have to respect."

He said laws, regulations and legal institutions should be respected.

"Whether they are government or opposition leaders, all should follow the laws."

Najib said although defamation had always been around in the form of poison pen letters, these days it was more widespread through information and communication technology.

He said the government had the option of imposing censorship instead of leaving it to the people to evaluate.

However, he said, this would lead to the belief that the government was not democratic nor open.

"Therefore, it is better for the people to be left to decide on the various issues."

On whether the issue would affect the Umno branch meetings and elections to begin this month, he said: "Umno members understand what is happening.

"They can evaluate. Umno members have become smarter."