KUALA LUMPUR: Three weeks after he walked out a free man following 22 months behind bars, Abdul Razak Baginda is just beginning to realise he has time, plenty of it, to enjoy his life.

"When I first came out, I thought I was ready to face the world, the media. But after a few days, I found that I was having trouble readjusting.

"I was not able to focus; my thoughts were jumping everywhere.

"In prison, everything is regimented. So when I was released, I started thinking I didn't have much time when actually I had time.

"Now, I take my time, and I'm eating a hell of a lot. After nearly two years of just eating the same (food), I've been putting on weight... it's revenge time."
Razak is free after he was acquitted on Oct 31 of a charge of abetting in the murder of his Mongolian lover, Altantuya Shaariibuu.

Addressing an army of media representatives at the Maya Hotel here yesterday, Razak said he was a lucky man.

He recounted his 22 months spent at the Sungai Buloh prison, which he said drove him close to the brink. It was, however, in prison that he rediscovered God and the value of his family.

"My family was the singlemost important element, alongside God, that helped me through the ordeal," he reflected.

"When I was first sent to prison, I was only able to physically touch my family after more than six months.

"It was difficult when the case was postponed. It is difficult for an innocent to face such a situation and it is something that is hard to appreciate unless you have experienced prison.

"I am innocent and at some point I knew I was going to be released.

"It was like how my wife told me: the system put me in and the system will get me out."

Razak said it was amazing how people were able to adapt to a new situation, especially with help from the people around them.

"I had help from friends; some of the inmates helped me cope.

"I also read a lot of books. Last year, I started reading up on the Middle East and Islam. I wanted to know more about the Prophet and Islam... Basically I was reading things that I did not have the time to read outside."

Razak declined to answer several questions from the media on the advice of his lawyers who were on hand throughout the 50-minute press conference.

Also present to support him were his parents, Datuk Abdullah Malim Baginda and Datin Rohana Abdullah.

Among the questions not answered were why he was implicated in the case, his relationship with murder accused Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar, and why he dropped his initial lawyer, Datuk Shafee Abdullah, after he was charged with abetting the two officers.

He also refused to answer a question on the whereabouts of his former private investigator P. Balasubramaniam.

Razak said that he had to adhere to legal ethics as the murder trial is still under way. "I hope you can appreciate that," was his refrain to many of the queries.

Now that he is a free man, Razak said he intended to complete his studies as a doctorate student at Oxford University, where his dissertation was put on hold after his arrest in late 2006.

Asked if he would take up an offer to work with Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak when he takes over the premiership, Razak shook his head.

"Right now, I'd like to do something more intellectual, more global in nature... I'm quite happy with my freedom."

And his beaming smile couldn't have driven home the point better.

RAZAK ON...

Plans by Altantuya's family to raise the matter in international court:
"I have never met them. My sympathies go out to them but I just want to close this chapter of my life and start a new chapter."

Alleged connections between Altantuya and the Scorpene submarine deal:
"Everyone (bloggers and public) is lazy and did not check the facts. The deal was signed in June 2002, more than two years before I first met Altantuya at the end of 2004. I fail to see the connection. These are vicious lies."

Whether he would take up an offer to work with Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak:
"Right now, I'd like to do something more intellectual, global in nature... I'm quite happy with my freedom."

Suggestions of political interference in his acquittal:
"I was charged, went to prison for 22 months, spent 151 days in court. I went through all that, so how could there be any interference?"

Suggestions that public opinion was still against him:
"Do bloggers reflect public opinion? If that's the case, I can run you down, so can my daughter or even my taxi driver and say this is public opinion."

Suggestion that he may not return home after his doctorate studies in UK:
"I'll be back in a couple of months, unless I get a cushy job like prime minister of the UK."