The temperature rose drastically in the Shah Alam High Court today. Everybody felt the heat as opposing counsel engaged in a battle of words and allegations in the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder trial.

Holding a watching brief for the slain Mongolian's family, Karpal Singh first locked horns with deputy public prosecutor Tun Majid Tun Hamzah over a photograph which the witness mentioned during re-examination this morning.

Burmaa Oyunchimeg, 26, also known as Amy, had taken the court by surprise when she mentioned she was shown a picture by Altantuya that had political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda, a "government official" and herself in it.

Karpal told judge Mohd Zaki Md Yasin that he wanted to pursue the 'government official' in the picture to which Majid and chief inspector Azilah Hadri's counsel Hazman Ahmad objected.

Majid: I object. There is no relevance.

Zaki: What picture?

Burmaa: (in English) In Hong Kong after she (Altantuya) came back from France, she went to Hong Kong to meet me and showed me a picture...

Majid: That was not an answer to a question from (DPP) Manoj (Kurup).

Karpal: (interjects) It's important that a question must be put through.

Majid: Wait till I finish! I am addressing the court now. Shut up!

Karpal: No, you shut up. You're concealing facts. You sent a discontentious letter telling me to put question through you when the court decided that I could go through them. You sit first.

Majid: Shut up! It's recorded in the court and newspapers even that you have to put your questions through me.

Karpal: Yang Arif, he's here to conceal something. He's hiding facts. Shut up and sit down. I"m addressing his Lordship.

Majid: Stop threatening me.

Zaki then warned Karpal not to tell the DPP to sit down and allowed him to ask Burmaa questions about the picture.

Burmaa then revealed that the picture Altantuya showed her was taken at meal time with Razak Baginda and "(DPM) Najib Razak" whom she thought were brothers.

Karpal said these facts were important because in Razak's bail application, he said it was DSP Musa Safri, the aide-de-camp of DPM Najib who directed the police to take away the deceased.

This precipitated another verbal battle between Karpal against Majid and Hazman.

Zaki: For bail? It was not before me. Is that your purpose for holding watching brief? For political purpose?

Karpal: The purpose is to make sure everything comes out into the open.

Majid: There is no evidence at this point. DSP Musa is a witness and we will question him later. You can ask the questions then.

Hazman: Karpal is making an allegation. He has access to witness and interpreter. If he can make allegation, I can do so. He has been coaching the witness.

Karpal: It's not an allegation, Hazman must be put to order and he should withdraw his statement.

Majid: The court should ask Karpal why is he here as watching brief. It is to assist the family. He is not here to turn the court into a political forum. He can go to Parliament for that. The AG (attorney-general) has assured that there will be no stone unturned. Have faith in the criminal justice system. Please let this trial run smoothly. I am in no disrespect for the court to argue with my learned brothers in front of Yang Arif.

Zaki: What is your purpose of holding a watching brief, Karpal?

Karpal: To make sure that everything is in the open.

Hazman: Karpal has made so many allegations. First on the issue that (immigration) records were deleted from the airport. It's very damaging for the Immigration Department. There must be a reason for what happened I'm sure. The court didn't allow it but Karpal pursued the matter by advising Shaariibuu Setev to lodge a police report.

Karpal: I want the allegation from Hazman that the witness was coached to be withdrawn.

Hazman: Is it okay for Karpal to make allegation that DSP Musa directed my client (to commit and offence)? He should withdraw first.

Karpal: On the allegation of coaching, I am making an application for Hazman to withdraw or face the consequences.

Hazman: Stop threatening me. This is the court of law.

Zaki: Will you withdraw, Hazman?

Hazman: I want him to withdraw first about the statement of DSP Musa.

Karpal: Why is he saying something irrelevant? Either withdraw or face the consequences.

Hazman: So be it.

Zaki: I just put here Tun Majid and Wong objecting. I am not making any order about Hazman and Karpal's allegations. I leave it to you both to withdraw your respective statements. I now disallow Karpal from further questioning the witness but I will record the witness' answer about the picture.

The trial continues on Monday.