Najib: Islamic authorities had time to object Altantuya oath but didn't

Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak said he had given time to Islamic authorities to object to his swearing of an oath at a Kuala Lumpur mosque but none came forward.

He said this in reference to his oath (sumpah laknat) made at Masjid Jamek Kampung Baru where he swore that he did not order the murder of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu.

"I deliberately announced the oath two days earlier. My intention was so if the religious authorities like the Federal Territories Islamic Department (Jawi) or its mufti can voice their objections or stop me.

"But two days after I made the oath Jawi and the Federal Territories' mufti issued statements concurrently," he said in a statement on Facebook.

Earlier today, Jawi warned that action can be taken against people misusing mosques for "personal and political interest". 

Najib said he would not have proceeded if there were objections.

"I am easy to talk to. If there were early objections, I would not have proceeded. Unfortunately, there weren't any," he said.

Last week, former police special action unit (UTK) personnel Azilah Hadri (photo), who was convicted for Altantuya's murder, claimed he had acted on Najib's orders in a statutory declaration (SD).

He was Najib's bodyguard at the time.

Altantuya was murdered in October 2006 and her remains blown up with military-grade explosives.

Azilah and his UTK colleague Sirul Azhar Umar were found guilty and sentenced to death in April 2009.

The Court of Appeal overturned their conviction in August 2013 but the guilty verdict was reinstated by the Federal Court in January 2015.

However, prior to the Federal Court reversing the Court of Appeal's decision, Sirul had fled to Australia and is now in an immigration detention centre there.

He cannot be deported due to Australia's stance against the death penalty.

With the SD, Azilah is now applying to the Federal Court for a review of the court's decision which found him guilty of murder.