Najib denies claims he influenced ex-bodyguard Sirul

 

Sirul Azhar Umar appeared on Al Jazeera this week after he was released from immigration detention by Australian authorities. (Al Jazeera pic)

PETALING JAYA: Former prime minister Najib Razak has denied allegations that he had attempted to influence or silence former bodyguard Sirul Azhar Umar, who was first convicted for the murder of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu in 2006.

Instead, he urged Sirul to reveal the mastermind behind her killing in the wake of the latter’s widely publicised interview on Al Jazeera.

In a statement released through his lawyers Shafee & Co, Najib urged Sirul to “be brave” and disclose any information he has in order for justice to be served.

During the interview, Sirul alluded to but refused to name the “top politician” he claimed had issued the order to kill.

According to the law firm, the interview “implied a vague assertion that our client exerts interference or influence over Sirul, purportedly to protect our client”.

Sirul, who is facing the death penalty in Malaysia for the murder, claimed he was paid a large sum of money by his former lawyer Hasnal Rezua Merican to clear Najib of any links to the 2006 murder.

However, Hasnal has denied the allegations.

Shafee & Co reiterated that Najib had been conclusively exonerated of any involvement in the case and that he was never implicated in court proceedings.

Sirul’s interview was recorded after he was among dozens of immigration detainees released following an Australian High Court overturning a 2004 ruling. It deemed that detaining non-citizens without visas indefinitely was unlawful.

He had been held since 2015 after he fled Malaysia before the final verdict for his case could be read by the Federal Court after numerous appeals from both sides. His first application for political asylum in Australia was rejected in 2019.

To clear his name, Najib suggested that the government engage with Australian authorities to bring Sirul back to ensure a comprehensive investigation into his claims.

He added that the Malaysian government should offer assurances that Sirul would not face the death penalty upon his return in order to facilitate his extradition as Australia is bound by strict non-refoulement obligations. - FMT