Sirul willing to assist in Altantuya case – with a full pardon

Australian immigration detainee Sirul Azhar Umar says he is willing to assist the new Pakatan Harapan government to reveal what transpired in the case of Altantuya Shaariibuu – provided he is given a full pardon to travel back to Malaysia.

Sirul, 45, told Malaysiakini from his detention centre in Sydney today that this is the condition for his release, as he believes many now see him as a political detainee following BN’s loss in the 14th general election.

"That (Altantuya) case is my only crime, as I do not have any criminal record prior to that.

"Hence, I am willing to assist the new government to tell what actually transpired provided that the government grants me (a) full pardon.

“I had previously served under Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Anwar Ibrahim, and I would also like to use this opportunity to congratulate them on their (Pakatan Harapan’s) victory (in the polls)," he told Malaysiakini.

"I also would like to thank Anwar for calling for a fresh trial," he added.

'No review'

Sirul also expressed his displeasure over how the murder trial was conducted, as he said he had followed his lawyers' instructions.

He claimed the “main witness” was not called in the trial and expressed his hope the case would be heard anew.

During the trial and the appeal process at the Court of Appeal and Federal Court, Sirul was represented by Kamarul Hisham Kamaruddin and Hasnal Rezua Merican.

Sirul claimed that following the Federal Court conviction, he instructed both his lawyers to file a review.

"But they have not done so and it is already three years," he said.

Former Federal Court judge Gopal Sri Ram had suggested earlier this week that the new Harapan government should not just focus on 1MDB, but also look into the Scorpene submarines case which was under then-defence minister Najib Abdul Razak.

DAP lawmaker Ramkarpal Singh also called on the new Harapan government to reopen the Altantuya case to ascertain the motive behind her murder.

Stigma attached

Sirul also said there is stigma attached to him because of that one case.

As a police officer and later with the Special Actions Unit, he pointed out that he had apprehended and killed others in the line of duty under orders.

"I do it for the country, as all is done under orders. That is how the unit works. But I am upset when people accuse me, or say something bad about me and my family," he said.

The job with the Special Actions Unit, he added, had destroyed his family life, as he had to divorce his wife in 2003. He retained custody of his two children, however.

As Sirul explained, his now-adult son followed him to Australia two months after he went there.

However, he had to leave his daughter behind, and longs to see her again, as she has developed breast cancer.

"My daughter, who is 20, does not want to seek treatment until she gets to see me.

"I am very concerned over her well-being and health as she is placed under my custody," he said, crying over the phone.

Sirul has been in detention at the Immigration and Border Protection Department's facility in Sydney for the past three years, after the Federal Court found him and chief inspector Azilah Hadri guilty of Altantuya's murder.

Azilah is on death row in Kajang Prison. He has also applied for a pardon.

Altantuya was murdered on a secluded hill in Puncak Alam between 10pm on Oct 19, 2006 and 1.30am the following day.

In another exclusive interview with Malaysiakini, Sirul said that the key witness who had not been called was his former superior, Musa Safri, the aide-de-camp of Najib, who was also deputy prime minister at the time.

This was cited as the main reason for the Court of Appeal's acquittal of Azilah and Sirul.

Sirul had previously spent time in Sungai Buloh, Kajang and Tapah Prisons before leaving for Australia, just before the Federal Court reversed the acquittal and sentenced him and Azilah to death in January 2015. -Mkini