Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak must set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) with regard to the murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu, said a veteran politician.

However, Lim Kit Siang ( right ) wonders if Najib would have the gumption to do so.

"Only a RCI into the murder and conduct of various authorities in the case is the only way to salvage the credibility and repute of Najib and his premiership from the Mongolian albatross," he said in a media statement.

The DAP lawmaker said Najib must be pro-active and cannot continue to rely on his denial and his oaths if he is to convince the public and the world that he has nothing to do with the case.

Lim was referring to the prime minister reiterating his innocence during a pre-recorded interview on TV3 last night.

This followed former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad calling for an investigation if someone had issued an order to kill Altantuya based on former police commando Sirul Azhar Umar's claims.

Najib’s predecessor Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, on the other hand, had come to his defence, stressing that police had cleared the prime minister of any involvement in Altantuya’s murder.

'RCI a great healing process'

Meanwhile, Lim pointed out since Najib had reiterated that he did not know Altantuya, why was he resistant to the proposal for a full inquiry as to the motive of Altantuya’s murder and who had given the orders for her to be killed.

“Najib should not tarry any further but take the decisive step to set up an RCI into Altantuya’s murder to establish the motives of the murder, who had ordered the two former police commandos to murder the Mongolian and blow up her body with military explosives.

“(This includes) the conduct of the various authorities, such as the police, the Attorney-General’s Chambers, and the judiciary, in failing to be fully diligent to get to the bottom of the Mongolian’s murder, particularly the motives for her murder,” he said.

Lim said such an RCI into Altantuya’s murder would be a great healing process for Malaysia, not only to restore national confidence in the integrity and professionalism of national institutions, but also the international credibility and reputation of the prime minister and the rule of law in the country.

The RCI should also include issues such as who ordered Altantuya to be killed, who issued the military C4 explosive, and who erased the immigration record of Altantuya's entry into this country.

The Gelang Patah MP also believes that the RCI could get great assistance from senior lawyer Americk Sidhu, the counsel for the late private investigator P Balasubramaniam ( above ), whose widow Santamil Selvi would also be of great assistance, said Lim.

Santamil recently listed out the 'persons of interest' whose answers to the questions posed about Altantuya’s murder may possibly throw light not only on the motives but the person or persons responsible for the Altantuya’s murder.

Najib was implicated in Altantuya’s murder in 2006 after police commandos Azilah Hadri and Sirul, who served as his bodyguards then, were convicted of the murder.

Najib’s associate political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda, however, was acquitted of abetment.

Barisan Nasional leaders, on the other hand, have long claimed that Najib is absolved of the murder because he took a religious oath ( sumpah laknat ) that he never knew the Mongolian woman.