By Zurairi AR
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 9 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak should not entertain any accusations put forward by controversial carpet dealer Deepak Jaikishan, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad advised today.
The businessman has been in the limelight of late, lobbing repeated accusations against Najib and Umno leaders, and has promised to dish more dirt on other scandals linked to other politicians and even the prime minister’s family members.
“I don’t think he should do anything,” Dr Mahathir (picture) told reporters here.
The longest-serving prime minister said that Najib should expect various allegations to surface while holding a political post, drawing parallels to his time in administration.
“When I was prime minister also they accused me of corruption ... I don’t have to respond.”
"Up to the people. If people want to believe him, what to do," he replied, when asked whether Deepak's allegations will affect Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) in the next election.On Wednesday, Deepak had announced that he will seek immunity under the Witness Protection Act 2009 before exposing further alleged power abuse involving the country's top leadership.
"I will apply for protection and write a letter to the Attorney-General (A-G) and hope he will reply immediately so I can make detailed exposés," he told reporters after meeting PAS leadership at the party's headquarters.
The meeting took place after PAS vice-president Datuk Mahfuz Omar promised to look into the carpet dealer's request for protection after Deepak claimed he had been a victim of government intimidation.
The carpet dealer had recently admitted that he helped private investigator P. Balasubramaniam repudiate the latter's earlier statutory declaration on the 2006 murder, including finding two lawyers to draft the new statement.
The Bar Council subsequently launched an investigation on the identity of the lawyers and possible misconduct in the drafting of the second sworn statement on the matter but said Deepak had refused to co-operate.
A cloud of mystery has hung over the identity of the lawyer who drew up Balasubramaniam's second SD, dated a day after his first on July 3, 2008, regarding Altantuya's 2006 murder, for which two elite police commandos have been convicted and are facing death sentences.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has denied any involvement in the drafting of Balasubramaniam's second sworn statement on the 2006 murder of Altantuya.
He said Deepak's allegations were not true, dismissing them as a non-issue, while saying that the businessman was not a credible person.