MP: Why Putrajaya gone quiet on Sirul extradition?

Bukit Gelugor MP Ramkarpal Singh has questioned Putrajaya's apparent lack of interest in extraditing Sirul Azhar Umar who fled to Australia after the Federal Court upheld his death sentence for the murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu.

He pointed out that it has been almost a year since the Home Ministry told him in a parliamentary written reply that it was in the process of extraditing Sirul.

"It is disturbing to note that there has been no news of whether Malaysia has indeed initiated extradition proceedings against Sirul," he said in a statement today.

Ramkarpal (photo) said his letter to the Attorney-General's Chambers and Australian attorney-general for an update of the extradition process have yet to receive any response.

"In the absence of a response to my said query, the possibility that extradition proceedings against Sirul have not been initiated contrary to the Home Minister's assurance in March, 2015 that the government was in the process of doing so cannot be excluded.

"The lack of a response from attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali can give rise to the perception that Putrajaya is not interested in extraditing Sirul in utter disrespect of the Federal Court's decision.

"It also gives an impression that the government is afraid of extraditing Sirul for reasons best known to it," he said.

Sirul, together with Azilah Hadri, both who served as bodyguards to then deputy prime minister Najib Abdul Razak in 2006, had their death sentences upheld February last year for the murder of Altantuya.

Azilah is in prison awaiting his death sentence while Sirul is presently being held at Villawood Immigration Detention Centre in Sydney, Australia. -Mkini