Kuala Lumpur - A private detective has withdrawn a sworn statement alleging that Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak had sex with a Mongolian woman who was murdered in 2006, reports said Friday. Balasubramaniam Perumal retracted the statement he made Thursday in the presence of opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, the official Bernama news agency said.
Speaking to the media on Thursday, he claimed he had information that Najib had sexual relations with Altantuya Shaariibuu, a 28-year-old translator whose body was found blown up by explosives in 2006.
Najib denied the allegations, and claimed they were an attempt to smear his image.
Balasubramaniam was quoted as saying Friday that he made his earlier allegations under duress, but did not elaborate further, Bernama said.
The murder case grabbed the headlines after police arrested and charged prominent political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda - who has close ties with Najib - with her murder.
The prosecution recently closed its case in the ongoing trial.
