Congrats, Mr. P.M.-to-be!

As much as I try to be a fair-minded blogger and not subjective, I'm taking this opportunity to offer my congratulations to the next incoming Malaysian Prime Minister, Datuk Sri Najib Razak.

As an ethnic Chinese, I do share some trepidation (Man, gotta check this spelling-I sense it's not right... will correct it later!) as to what policies he would follow and as a history lover, a sense of deja vu can almost be felt when it is recorded in the annals of Malaysian history as to how his father abruptly became the Prime Minister, taking the reins of power from (yes!)a liberal Prime Minister- cum- founding father of Malaysia, the late Tunku Abdul Rahman.

Here now is an intriguing insightful article by Khoo Kay Peng that I found in the Malaysian Insider-another 'Think out of the box' blog. It somewhat sums up all my thoughts about the change of guard in our Malaysian political scene.

By the way, I'm still trying to say I'm been objective as a Barisan man by having this article here.

Speaking or writing, that is, of objectivity, I may offer my good honorable buddy Nicholas Bawin of Party Keadilan, in the name of fair-play, some useful test-proven FREE 666 tips in playing the political game in a more fairer way (on a more level field? Haha) and yes, a ghost of a chance for the PKR candidate to win Batang Ai, however unlikely as it is, considering the awesome war chest (including brilliant and shrewd minds) that Sarawak's ruling Barisan has.

How about a friendly get-together sometime in Kuching, bud?

The prospect of Umno under Najib - Khoo Kay Peng
MARCH 26 - Najib Razak, Sharizat Jalil and Khairy Jamaluddin are going to form the leadership backbone for Umno. Can their leadership provide a new impetus for the party's revival? Can Umno help to rejuvenate other BN component parties?

There are several issues which the new leadership must address quickly:

1. The party is suffering from a serious perception deficit. It is known for being a bully, a rule bender, rowdy, autocratic and feudalistic. The party does not mind manipulating religion, race and recently the monarchy to satisfy its political agenda.

One of the biggest challenges for the party under the new leadership is to prove to us that it is ready and capable of governing a multiracial society. An Umno which caters for only the Malay community may help to extend the lifeline of the party but not the coalition's. Can Najib convincingly rebrand his leadership to appeal to all Malaysians? Can his leadership be current and flexible enough to win over the waning support of young Malaysians?

2. Umno new leadership is the most controversial in the party's history. Najib is entangled with several allegations. Two veteran leaders, Dr Mahathir and Tengku Razaleigh, had urged the new president to come clean on the matter.

Ku Li told The Malaysian Insider, "(He) should take the witness stand to clear his name or take legal action against the growing number of foreign publications linking him with the murder of Altantuya Shariibuu and the purchase of submarines.

He "should finally face these suspicions and implied charges, submit himself to legal scrutiny, and come clean on them.'' Meanwhile, Khairy was implicated in the last general election as one of the main causes of BN's stunning defeats.

A number of BN leaders had quietly singled him out for arousing the anger of non-Malays. The two leaders have a lot of work to do to repair their public image.

3. Under Najib leadership, will his reforms plan suffer the same fate like Abdullah's?

Several actions taken by the Umno led government do not augur well for his leadership e.g. arbitrary use of ISA against civilians, Perak power grab, dubious decisions taken by public institutions against the opposition, action taken against bloggers, police interference in politics and others.

His leadership has given us a perception that Umno is not committed to promote and defend the rule of law, the federal constitution and the democracy system.

What is Najib's focus and priority?

The interest of this nation or his own political dominance? Malaysians do not like to be kicked around anymore. My sense is that many Malaysians despise unfairness and arrogance.

4. Is Umno willing to share more power with other component parties? These political parties can no longer hide that they are not consulted in policy formulation and decision making within the government. Most of these parties are reduced to making statements in the media.

If the trend continues, expect very little to change in BN. The progress of this country must involve more than just Umno leaders. The party does not have the capacity to single handedly pull this nation out of the current economic dilemma.

The talent pool needs to be enlarged. Is the party willing to consider meritocracy over ethnicity?

5. The current perception today is the party is outdated and does not understand the needs and
wants of a multi-racial nation. Does the party understand what are the key success factors of a society increasing threatened by complex global challenges?

The plate is full for the new Umno leadership. It takes a superhuman performance of the leaders to rebuild and regain the confidence of Malaysians towards the party.

We are at the twilight of a race-based political model.

A Barbaric Execution

The following quotations made by DSP (Deputy Superintendent of police) Muhammad Koey Abdullah, are taken from Bernama in the ongoing Altantuya murder trial.

It would be the 65th day of the trial of the two police personnel, Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri, 31 and Corporal Sirul Azhar, 36 of the Special Action Unit. They are charged with murdering Atantuya, 28, between 10 p.m. on October 19 last year and 1 a.m. the following day in a secondary jungle in Bukit Raja in Malaysia.

A prominent political analyst, Abdul Razak Abdullah Baginda, 47 is charged with abetting them.

The victim, Altantuya Sharariibuu, a Mongolian translator was allegedly murdered by the Malaysian elite police force specialists with C-4 explosives.

"I discussed it with with Dr. Mohammad Shah Mahmood (a pathologist) at the scene. He told me that he found the largest skull piece about the same size of of a 50-sen (cent) coin; hair blown off to the south-east. So, an explosive substance had been placed on the hairless part of the head, probably the forehead or face, mouth and so on.

As the upper part of the spine column was intact, I assumed there was an explosive substance placed at the upper limbs. And no leg bone was found; so it was possible that an explosive was placed on the lower abdomen".

"Skull fragments, bones, hair and spinal column were found. If a large quantity (of explosive) had been used, probably no bones would be found".

"The discovery of RDX-a secondary high-powered explosive substance (indicates PE may be used in the murder incident)". RDX can be found in PE of PP01 and PE-N12B1 types".

"In my opinion it was a simple electric firing command".

More Haunting Murder Trial Words

We intend to impeach this witness. I have to check if there are any contradictions between her testimony and her witness statement.
-deputy Public Prosecutor Noorin Badaruddin in her impeachment request to the judge as the star witness contradicted herself in her testimony at least 5 times.

I had to bring him back immediately to protect the good name of the police. I was instructed by the then Criminal Investigation Department's Deputy Diector II Razak Syed Ismail Said Azizan

Azilah was a chief inspector belonging to the combat diving unit and Sirul was a corporal belonging to the communications unit.

Every operative that goes through the basic training is taught to recognise and understand the use of explosives. On top of that they learn to combine different explosive devices to result in specific sized explosions (explosive charges).
-Deputy commander of Special Squad, Mastor Mohd. Ariff.
(Sabrina Chen in Malaysiakini, 6/7/07)

Death of a Mongolian Beauty

Was it a gunshot, C-4 explosives or a grenade which killed her? Who actually did it? Is there a conspiracy, rightly or wrongly, as believed by a growing skeptical questioning public since the first prosecutor's opening confident declaration that only three persons were responsible for this international crime?

Have we forgotten how harsh the penalty is for the mere possession of either a gun or an explosive device in Malaysia? Yes, the penalty is death by hanging... and it wasn't too long ago, sometime in the 1980s that even a young boy who was below 16 and found in possession of a weapon, was sentenced to death... So we have two men mucking around freely with guns and explosives like we're in Hollywood except that the weapons were real and it was a lethal death show and not a wholesome family entertainment movie that these murderers are now providing the shamed and embarrassed law-abiding good Malaysian public that believes in truth and justice. Malaysia, THE WHOLE WORLD IS WATCHING... The world will still be watching Malaysia, after the trial when Altantuya's Discovery Channel's prolific documentary- producing dad has his heart-wrenching movie about her and her unjustified horrific death in Malaysia completed and shown.

Malaysians... you are all part of the plot in the movie right now ...

The trial continues tomorrow with the testimony of one of the murder-implicated members of the elite Special police squad which protects the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia.
Remember to click on pics to enlarge them!



The Borneo Post news cutting is dated 29/3/07 about the elite police squad.

DAY 9: Haunting Voices...

In fact... Azilah was head of Najib’s personal security team. In an affidavit filed in December in his defense, Abdul Razak said he had contacted Azilah through Musa Safri, Najib’s aide-de-camp, to ask for help in dealing with Altantuya, who by that time was demanding money to care for a baby she said Abdul Razak had fathered.

Another mysterious figure in the case was a woman constable who was mentioned in earlier news reports as “helping police in the investigation into the murder.” She was described as a lance corporal, in her mid-20s, from the Petaling Jaya District Police Headquarters who had been in remand. News reports aid the woman helped to put Altantuya into the red Proton Saga car that drove her away for the last time.

The rumor mill has it that the policewoman is a bodyguard for Najib’s wife, Rosmah Mansor, although she was never named. The police woman dropped completely out of the case, however, and was never arrested or identified; the local papers have stopped mentioning her. The private investigator hired by Razak, P. Balasubramaniam, testified that that a man and a woman were with Azilah when Azilah drove Altantuya away. However, he said he could not recognize the two other individuals.

-The Asian sentinel, 28/6/07

I know why she wanted to see Razak Baginda-I have seen pictures of Altantuya with Razak and a government official.

-Burmaa Oyunchimeg (Left), ( Malaysiakini, 29/6/07 )

Don't hide things in this court.

-Watching brief counsel, Karpal Singh (Left) to prosecution team when they appeared reluctant to pursue further enquires into a certain VVIP's involvement in case (Malaysiakini, 29/6/07)

I remember the name Najib Razak, they had the same name, 'Razak". I thought they were brothers. I asked her (Altantuya) if they were brothers.

-Burmaa, (Malaysiakini, 29/6/07)

The relevancy is this: we must not hide anything. It was the ADC (aide- de-camp) of the Deputy Prime Minister who had directed his personnel to go in front of Razak's house to take the deceased away. That is the purpose.

-Karpal Singh, responding to query by judge, following objection by the prosecuting team. (Malaysiakini , 29/6/07)

Why can't you just have faith in the system?

-Tun Majid, leading prosecutor to a brilliant Karpal Singh's probing queries put to witnesses.

(Malaysiakini, 28/6/07)

DAY 8: Haunting Voices

Mr. Abdul Razak Baginda is powerful person. He does have money. He have connection in police, in government.... Mr. Razak Baginda promise to help me
when I was in Mongolia. That's why I came to see him and for help but he trying to kill me. Maybe I did mistake to bother him and to blackmail him, but he didn't promise to me I would never come from far away to Malaysia. Only reason I'm here is asking help from Mr. Razak.
-Altantuya, in her letter (Read it yourself-Click to enlarge it) before her murder.
(Ivy Sam, AFP, 28/6/07)

Altantuya was always there with him (in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Singapore) ... They looked like boyfriend and girlfriend.
-Burmaa ('Amy') Oyunchimey
(Soon Li Tsin, Malaysiakini, 28/6/07)

UPDATE: Haunting Murder Trial Voices

I did not ask for proof of whether she was married or not because I had no right to...She told me that (Razak's private investigator, P) balasubramaniam had called her and told her to go to Razak's house. I told her that I was in Johor and I didn't have time. I told her to take a taxi (to Razak's place).
-Ang Chong Beng, Altantuya's hired private investigator, testifying that Altantuya declared to him she was married to Abdul Razak Baginda and that Razak had called her to his home.
(Malaysiakini, 27/6/07)

Latest Altantuya Murder Haunting Voices

Left: detonated C-4 explosive.

You have been very arrogant, Tun Majid from day one ... Shut up and sit down.
-Karpal Singh, acting counsel for Athantuya's father in expressing his objection to the lead prosecutor's interruption of his request to ask questions.
(The Star, 23/6/07)

You have no right to tell me to sit down. Only the court can tell me to sit down. You shut up. -Tun Majid, in responding to Karpal Singh. (The Star, 23/6/07)
Holding briefs also has rights. I won't take nonsense from DPPs either. -Karpal Singh, in responding back. (The Star, 23/6/07)

I have not checked what her religion was. It's a possibility that sometimes the children tell their parents and sometimes they don't. -Dr. Shaariibuu answering Karpal Singh's question about the possible conversion of Altantuya. (The Star, 23/6/07)

Resipsa loquitor! (Latin: the fact speaks for itself) -Mazlinda Baginda, AR Baginda's wife, after seeing the 7-person show of support for her husband by his MSRI staff. (Malaysiakini, 26/6/07)

Three of us were under pressure. Suras (Kumar) and Bala (P. Balasubramaniam) threatened to throw us out of the window and wanted to kill us. Every night they came to our room and knocked on the door forcefully at 3:00, 4:00, 5:00 am. Suras and Bala said, 'Razak Baginda is going to kill you'. -Altantuya's cousin Namima Gerelmaa said via a translator. (Malaysiakini, 26/6/07)

On Nov 24, I left with Altantuya's father, Sharibuu but at the airport we had a problem because they (Immigration officials) did not have a record of Altantuya, Namiraa or me entering the country. They said they had no data of our records. The entry was deleted in the computer. I was still holding my air ticket so they asked me how I came to the country. [...] was it by sea or by air. So I showed them my ticket that had the date of when I flew into Malaysia. -Urinintuya Gol Ochir, when asked when she had returned to Malaysia. Malaysiakini, 26/6/07)

There was no record of our entry. At that time (Malaysian honorary consul-general for Mongolia) Syed Abdul Rahman Athabshi was also following us to Mongolia. Two police officers took me (away) saying I came into the country illegally. I was there (at the airport) for two hours before they let us leave. -Uriintuya (Malaysiakini, 26/6/07)
It had been deleted. I wonder why our immigration records for entering Malaysia had been deleted? -Uuriintuya (Malaysiakini, 26/6/07)
... I think the (diamond-studded) ring, I think she told me her boyfriend had bought it for her. i believe the boyfriend was (Abdul) Razak (Baginda). -Uuriintuya, in answering kapal Singh's query on her recognition of Athantuya's personal effects.

Other Past Haunting Voices:
Whoever is involved will be brought to book regardless of his stature. I am going to find out how and who authorized the issuance of the explosives used in the murder.
-Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan to reporters (The Asian Sentinel, 8/11/06)

... For more than a decade, Baginda has been the executive director of Malaysian Strategic Research Institute, which is technically a private think-tank but has close connections to the Malaysian armed forces and the United Malay National Organization, the largest party in the ruling coalition.
-The Asian Sentinel, 8/11/06)

Evidence will be adduced to show that the deceased's (Altantuya's) cause of death was 'probable blast-related injuries', which means she may have died the cruel death of being blown alive.
-Deputy Public Prosecutor Tun Abdul Majid Tun Hamzah,
The Star, 18/6/07)

Intriguing quotation with unconfirmed source (presently) found in blogosphere:
I pray to Allah for right to be done. I don't want justice. I want right to be done.
-allegedly said by A.R's wife on the first day of the trial.

Early press image of 'Altantuya'. It is now claimed it is of a Korean model who bears a striking close resemblance to her.







Present real image of Altantuya.

Political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda in pink shirt


Accused killer, AR Baginda's Mysterious close Black pal, 'Mark'. He has been providing comfort to Baginda's family. Does anyone out there have more info about this huge dude other than he was said to be an old classmate of Baginda in the University of London and he claimed to have taken a month off from work just to be in Malaysia to support his friend. He is standing next to Baginda's daughter, Rowena.
He has refused to disclose his full name.

Haunting Altantuya Murder Voices

As the sensational murder trial continues today after its opening on the 16/11/06, I keep hearing these words that simply keep haunting me as an objective distance observer so far...

He is a good man. He is not the Prime Minister of this country. He doesn't want to be one. He is not interested in all that!
-Outburst by Mazlinda Makhzan, former magistrate & wife of Abdul Razak Baginda, the alleged mastermind of the murder conspiracy in the trial. (The Star, 17/11/06)

He just cannot understand and accept the fact that his daughter was murdered in such a gruesome murder.
-Honorary Mongolian Consul General in Malaysia, Dr. Syed Abdul Rahman Alhabshi about the murdered Altantuya's dad's Dr. Shaariibuu Seter state of mind. (The Star, 17/11/06)

They are fully satisfied with the police investigations so far and the court procedures on the case. They are still shocked with what has happened and cannot believed she was murdered in such a cruel manner.
-Syed Abdul Rahman about Altantuya's family members after they had made offerings to her at the murder site where she was blown to bits (The Star, 18/11/06)

What about the other two? Are they going to get bail?
-Johari Hadri, brother of one of the murder suspects, Chief Inspector Azilah, following the unusual bail at RM1 million allowed for Baginda. (The Star, 24/11/06)

I hope justice will be served he said adding that he would not hesitate to bring the matter to the international arena if he found the trial was not fair.
-Dr. Shaariibuu after Baginda was shockingly released on bail (The Star, 24/11/06)

This is the only tribute I can give to my beloved daughter and I promise myself to work hard in filming her life's journey. Altantuya will never return but her memory will never fade away either.
-Dr. Shaariibuu to Bernama (24/11/06)

Shaariibuu, who had already produced 16 episodes of Discovery Channel programmes about Mongolia a few years ago, expected the film to be completed in a year.

He said that he would add messages of love and compassion of family ties in the film.
He said that his heart was broken when he saw indecent pictures of models, claimed to be Altantuya's which were carried in a leading English paper here.
-Bernama 24/11/06

No one else was involved in the murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu other than Abdul Razak Baginda and two policemen.
-Deputy Public Prosecutor Sakhuddin Saidin, making a surprise announcement at the High Court in KL.
-New Straits Times, 15.12/06

Can you please sit down? You have turned this court into a circus. This issue must be dealt with.
-Shaun Tan Kee Shaan, over who should represent the two policemen.
(The Star, 15/12/06)

Evidence will be adduced to show that the deceased's cause of death was 'probable blast-related injuries' which means she may have died the cruel death of being blown up alive.
-Deputy Public Prosecutor Tun Abdul Majid Tun Hamzah in his opening remarks at yesterday's start of the Mongolian translator's murder trial. (The Star, 19/6/07)
Abdul Majid Tun Abdul Hamid


It's suicide, father. It's stupid.
-Rowena Baginda, Abdul Razak Bazinda's daughter was overheard after bursting into tears when she heard what her dad said to the family before the trial resumed. (The Star. 21/6/07)

Abdul Razak forwarded the SMS to me. He told me that he would contact a senior police officer he knew regarding the threat.
-Balasubramanian, private detective claiming he was hired by Abdul Razak Baginda to stop the harassment by someone called Amy. (The Star, 21/6/07)

I asked him (Abdul Razak Baginda) what had actually transpired. He said he himself did not know.
-Balasubramanium, responding to a question about Razak's response when asked about the missing Altantuya. (The Star, 21/6/07)

No, I did not say that. I never said those words.Those are not my words.
-Namiraa Gerelmaa, Altanuya's cousin, denying making parts of the police report. (Malaysiakini, 22/6/07)

I never said she is my friend. I always said she is my friend (when making the report).
-Namiraa (Malaysiakini, 22/6/07)

Other Past Haunting Voices:
Whoever is involved will be brought to book regardless of his stature. I am going to find out how and who authorized the issuance of the explosives used in the murder.
-Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan to reporters (The Asian Sentinel, 8/11/06)

... For more than a decade, Baginda has been the executive director of Malaysian Strategic Research Institute, which is technically a private think-tank but has close connections to the Malaysian armed forces and the United Malay National Organization, the largest party in the ruling coalition.
-The Asian Sentinel, 8/11/06)

Intriguing quotation with unconfirmed source (presently) found in blogosphere:
I pray to Allah for right to be done. I don't want justice. I want right to be done.
-allegedly said by A.R's wife on the first day of the trial.

Early press image of 'Altantuya'. It is now claimed it is of a Korean model who bears a striking close resemblance to her.







Present real image of Altantuya.

LEFT: Political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda


Here's what Tom Harris in his website, How stuff works says about C-4 explosives;
Twenty years ago, most people didn't have any idea what C-4 was. Recently, it has become an all-too-familiar term, popping up in newspapers and on television all the time. In October 2000, terrorists used C-4 to attack the U.S.S. Cole, killing 17 sailors. In 1996, terrorists used C-4 to blow up the Khobar Towers U.S. military housing complex in Saudi Arabia. In December 2001, a man smuggled similar material, hidden in his shoes, onto a commercial airliner. C-4 has also been used in many of the Palestinian suicide bombings in Israel and the Israeli-occupied territories.

U.S. military placing the C-4 explosive on a bunker

The actual explosion itself.

To be continued soon...

The Eleventh Hour Game...

At the eleventh hour...

a) the ill-fated courageous American firefighters were either still climbing up the stairs or rescuing some of the thousands of trapped World Trade Centre innocent civilians whose buildings had been hit by two aeroplanes cowardly hijacked by al Quaeda terrorists;

b) the sixth Global Interfaith Conference to be held in Malaysia and chaired by the Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, following the September 11 attacks by Islamic terrorists were abruptly cancelled by the Malaysian government under Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi;

c) one of the most sensational murder trials in Malaysian history involving a shot Mongolian translator, Altantuya Shaariibuu and the use of extremely rare special explosives to blow her to pieces by elite special forces commandos, Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar and the alleged abatement by University of London graduate, Abdul Razak Baginda, allegedly her lover, a high profile socio-economic think tank organization founder and consultant and a prominent adviser to the Deputy Prime Minister, was abruptly postponed due to the astonishing reason that the prosecutor and the sitting judge were seen playing badminton earlier;

d) the Malaysian Prime Minister, a widower, Abdullah Badawi suddenly announced on a Wednesday he had found someone, an Eurasian convert, Jeanna Abdullah, whom he would be marrying on the coming Saturday;

e) the ex-premier, Mahathir Mohammad announced he was going away from Malaysia on the 18th June, 2007 and the whole of Malaysia trembles because the COSMIC JOKER somewhere above us loves to play jokes on Malaysia whenever this awesome mortal is not around;

f) the main Opposition party, the Democratic Action Party (DAP) called for an inquiry into allegations by a Malaysian prince, Raja Petra Kamaruddin in his hugely popular blog, Malaysia Today on the close collaboration between organized crime syndicates and the Malaysian Police, including the highest cop in the land, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP);

g) the IGP hastily called for an urgent meeting of officers resulting in them declaring their support for him in the face of allegations;

h) will anything extraordinary happen today as the sensational Altantuya murder case resumes once again on this day?

i) will anything else sensational happen in Malaysia?

International Ghost (6)

You know, I've always dreamt of being in merry ole England since I was a kid. At the age of 6 it would have been just to see some tall buildings like Big Ben (You keep hearing the BBC playing its loud chimes), the Tower of London (tales of head- chopping) and Buckingham Palace and also to watch those smartly reddish-dressed parade soldiers with their unusual 'bamboo hedge' tall hats changing guard at the palace (I had been given a slide viewer which was viewed by peering with both eyes into a binocular-like apparatus and my favorite was the London round slides series).

But now, as I get older, the thrills sought by those of my age tend to change and we progress to other more unusual exciting attractions. Well, sex is certainly one amonst many others... the supernatural would be another!

So England with all her many historical places and fascinating though often bloody history would be a hell of a place to spend my vacation in!

In the pic above, which I accidentally stumbled upon in y possession, it purportedly shows the Brown Lady Raynham hall in Norfolk. It was photographed and caught on film as well so it seems that ghosts do exist in that country.

Now if we Malaysians have a big fear of the supernatural, we may think twice before being irresponsible by doing things in the dark like fooling around in dangerous isolated forested areas, having late nights, going out with strangers, doing things in graveyards like grave-robbing (The jury's out if the Indons are responsible), taking drugs and so forth.

Hell, some may even reconsider committing heinous crimes like the unnecessary senseless murder of the Mongolian beauty, Altantuya ...

Come to think of it, if there are scary spirits out there who have been wronged , I would hope they find justice and that the guilty perpetrators of murderous crimes be haunted by them for the inhumanity of their actions and the consequential pain and suffering of shattered lives left behind.

Ah...back to England...Perhaps, England still has so many supernatural entities because of its long rich illustrious history... and Malaysia has a shorter one. Even now it maybe has successfully exorcised this land of some of these entities by official decree such as the ban on more terrifying horror books and exhibitions of the supernatural... So fellow Malaysians, let's just go to England for some ghosts!

Salute to the Courage of the Mongols!

Yesterday, in a court in Malaysia, the biggest trial, after Anwar Ibrahim's, in our Malaysian history began.

It was the perfectly Hollywood-scripted tragic high drama case of the brutal murder of a hapless foreigner, a highly intelligent Mongolian beauty who was callously shot and blown to pieces with special explosives by Malaysian Police commandos around October 19th and October 20th last year.

In the dock were three persons- two commandos, Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri, 31 and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar, 36 and a civilian, Razak Baginda, 47 a well-known political consultant and adviser to Malaysia's, Deputy Prime Minister, Abdul Razak. Razak Baginda is accused of abatement in the crime. They face the death penalty if found guilty.

Amazingly, the opening session ended quickly!

At the eleventh hour, the prosecution team was changed!

The case was adjourned to two weeks' time.

Here are some small words of comfort found in the writings of my favorite poet, the late Patience Strong for the dear grief-stricken bereaved family of Altantuya Shaariibuu.

What do you do when your heart has been broken?
What do you do when there's nothing much left?
... What do you do when your world starts to crumble-leaving you lifeless, of all hope bereft?
What do you do? Do you drug your hurt spirit-by numbing the mind in your longing for peace? That way lie dead ends, despair and frustration. No comfort there-no relief or release.
What do you do? You face up to your trouble-believing that somewhere behind all the pain-there is a reason, a plan and a purpose-and strength you receive for beginning again.

This extract below is courtesy of bigdogdot.com