KUALA LUMPUR: Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has taken the “sumpah laknat” (to swear that the person is telling the truth, or face damnation) today at 2.07pm after Friday prayers, to deny allegations that he was involved in the murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu 13 years ago.
Holding up a copy of the Quran at Masjid Jamek Kampung Baru, Najib declared that he had never seen Altantuya and denied all allegations made by former Special Task Force (UTK) officer Azilah Hadri in a recent Statutory Declaration (SD).
“I have never met (her), nor do I even know the deceased (Altantuya).”
He also insisted that he had not ordered Azilah to kill the Mongolian woman in 2006 as alleged by him in his SD.
Also present at the mosque were his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, and Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Azilah, a prisoner on death row at Kajang Prison claimed that Najib who was the then deputy prime minister, also ordered him to dispose of the woman’s body.
The 42-year-old claimed that Najib had given the instruction verbally during a meeting with him on Oct 17, 2006 in Pekan, Pahang.
The Federal Court will hear Azilah’s case on April 20.
Meanwhile, Perak Mufti Tan Sri Dr Harussani Zakaria said sumpah laknat did not exist in Islam, other than swearing in the name of God which was not necessarily done in a mosque.
He said its recitation was allowed in Islam to allow an individual to defend himself, yet further investigations should still be conducted by the authorities on the person.
“There is no mention of laknat (damnation) if you want to swear in Islam because if you lie, you will be damned anyway,” he said.