Umno figures visited Sirul in Sydney, daily says

Sirul Azhar Umar appears in a video posted online to speak about his role in the Altantuya murder. The murder convict reportedly met both Umno and opposition figures during his detention in Sydney. – Youtube pic, February 22, 2016.

Convicted murderer Sirul Azhar Umar, who is currently under Australian immigration custody, has been visited not only by opposition figures, but also those linked to Umno, The Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) reports.

"In Villawood, Sirul lives comfortably in an area with access to a kitchen, a telephone and the internet and is allowed visitors who receive approval from the Border Force," the daily said, referring to the immigration detention centre in Sydney.

"His Malaysian lawyers have links to the Umno. During the past year Sirul has been visited by figures linked to both Umno  and Malaysia's opposition."

In March last year, PAS information chief Datuk Mahfuz Omar had arranged a meeting between Sirul and his mother, although he failed to make good a promise to the media for "tell all" teleconference to explain his role in the Altantuya murder.

Sirul and former policeman Azilah Hadri were convicted with the 2006 brutal murder of Mongolian citizen Altantuya Shaariibuu.

The Federal Court upheld sentenced the duo to death in January last year, but Sirul escaped to Australia, and later detained at the Villawood Immigration Detention Centre after Interpol issued a red notice.

The SMH report also quoted immigration authorities as saying that a recently released series of online videos by Sirul was made by him before he was arrested and taken to Villawood.

Al Jazeera reported last year that Sirul, through a businessman with links to Malaysian leaders, had attempted to blackmail the Malaysian government for millions of dollars to keep quiet over the Altantuya murder.

But Australian police told SMH that any investigation could only proceed with agreement from Putrajaya.

- TMI