By Leong Meng Yee

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: Abdul Razak Baginda, acquitted last week of abetment in the murder of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu, cancelled a press conference scheduled for yesterday.

Daughter Rowena later apologised for her "still adjusting" father.

Razak leaving his house with his wife.

In an e-mail sent yesterday to the press, Rowena said her father would be staying in Malaysia for the coming weeks owing to concerns about his health.

Local and international reporters had turned up at the hotel in anticipation of Razak breaking his silence since his acquittal.

Although several media organisations had received information on Wednesday night that the press conference had been cancelled, reporters and photographers still turned up at the hotel yesterday morning in case Razak changed his mind.

A retired couple living in Bangsar also made their way to the hotel because they wanted to personally hear what Razak had to say.

Apart from publicly expressing relief over the acquittal and about his daily fasting when under remand, Razak had not spoken to the press - despite the media occasionally gathering outside his house in Damansara Heights hoping for a chance to speak to him.

Rowena, in her e-mail, apologised for the inconvenience caused by the cancellation of the press conference.

"We apologise profusely for any inconvenience and confusion in this matter," she wrote. "As you can imagine, there is much readjustment that my father has yet to do. He is still adjusting to life as a free man after being in prison for close to two years."

She added that Razak had assumed he could readjust as soon as he was released.

"But it seems that it will take a little more time. He is also concerned with his health, and as such he will be staying on in Malaysia for the coming weeks," she said.

Last night, Razak held thanksgiving prayers at his house.

His father, Datuk Abdullah Malim Baginda, said besides holding thanksgiving prayers for his son, a tahlil was also held for the late L/Kpl Othman Abdul Rahman, 47.

L/Kpl Othman died after complaining of breathing difficulties while accompanying Razak, and the other two accused in the murder case, C/Insp Azilah Hadri and Kpl Sirul Azhar Umar, at the Shah Alam High Court on July 25.