Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has dismissed speculation that the government was behind convicted murderer Azilah Hadri's statutory declaration which tied Najib Abdul Razak to Altantuya Shaariibuu's murder.

In a statement today, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) also denied allegations that Mahathir had met Azilah.

"As this involves the legal process, the government will leave the matter to the relevant authorities to decide on the course of action," said the PMO.

Najib's lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah had claimed yesterday that Azilah was brought out from the Kajang prison to meet a "VVIP", alluding that there was a conspiracy to incriminate his client.

So far, Shafee has not backed his claim nor named the VVIP, while the Prison's Department has denied this took place.

Azilah had made a damning statutory declaration in October, accusing Najib of giving the order to terminate Altantuya in 2006. At the material time, Azilah was part of Najib's security detail.

The statutory declaration was filed together with his application for a review of the Federal Court's decision to reinstate his conviction and death sentence.

Azilah is also seeking a re-trial.

Najib has dismissed the allegation as "fabrication" and claimed that Azilah was a desperate man on death row.