(Sept 14): Putrajaya has to clear Malaysia's name, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today, in response to the airing of the Al Jazeera documentary on the murder of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu.

Writing in his blog, chedet.cc, the former prime minister said Datuk Seri Najib Razak, as the prime minister and his government have a duty to "clear our name".

"The government must take this documentary film seriously and try to clear our name.

"Taking it off Al Jazeera in Malaysia would not change anything. The documentary has gone viral in Malaysia and is still shown throughout the world," he wrote today.

In the 25-minute long programme, Australian journalist Mary Ann Jolley leads viewers through the once highly-controversial and entangled Altantuya saga which was rife with elements of sex, financial scandal, violence and conspiracy.

Altantuya was murdered in October 2006 with her body being blown up with military-grade explosives. Investigations later revealed that the former translator was involved in an affair with Najib’s political adviser Abdul Razak Baginda.

Razak Baginda was charged with abetting in her murder, but was later acquitted.

The Al Jazeera documentary questions whether the two men eventually convicted of Altantuya’s murder – Sirul Azhar Umar and Azilah Hadri – were the “fall guys” for others, citing alleged text messages sent by Sirul suggesting a high-level cover up.

Jolley was deported by Malaysian authorities on June 14 eventhough she had not been charged with any crime. She was also not given any reasons for her deportation.

Najib had said that the documentary and the resurfacing of the Altantuya case was a "conspiracy" against him, highlighting the timing of its release, even as he faces calls for his resignation.

Dr Mahathir said Putrajaya should sue Al-Jazeera for defamation if it felt the documentary was untrue.

"Al-Jazeera is watched by millions throughout the world. Most will believe what they see. Merely saying that it is not true may convince some Malaysians but will not convince foreigners," he said.

Malaysia's longest serving prime minister said proof must be given that the murder, cover-up, and the police involvement addressed in the documentary were not true and that Razak Baginda was in no way guilty of the terrible crime.

"The judiciary including the Attorney-General’s Chambers too must clear their names especially with regard to the acquittal of Razak Baginda and the appeal by the Attorney-General which was confined only to the two policemen. They were retried and were found guilty and sentenced to be hanged to death by the Court of Appeals.

"Already Malaysians abroad are being asked what has happened to our country. This new episode is not going to improve the image of the country after the other scandals," he added. – The Malaysian Insider