Australian Immigration and Border Protection Minister Peter Dutton was tight-lipped when asked to comment on former police corporal Sirul Azhar Umar.
Dutton said privacy laws in Australia are quite strict and prevented him talking about individual cases.
"It is difficult for Australian ministers to comment on ongoing matters because of privacy laws and the desire not to prejudice any matter that might be under consideration,"Dutton (left in photo) told reporters today.
He was at the Home Ministry in Putrajaya to pay a courtesy call on the minister, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Sirul is being held at the immigration detention centre in Sydney.
He has been sentenced to death in Malaysia for the murder of Mongolian translator Altantuya Shaariibuu in 2006.
Dutton also clarified that applications for the deportation of Sirul will be taken into account but the process might take awhile.
"The Australian government will take into consideration any applications that have been made and advice that has been provided.
"But there is a stringent legal process and rule of law that operates in relation to serious allegations against people within the Australian border, and that process now needs to take its course," said Dutton.
Teleconference okay
Mahfuz Omar
Asked to comment on the recent teleconference attempt with Sirul held by PAS information chief Mahfuz Omar, Dutton said it was a non-issue as Australian law allowed for such form of communication.
Asked for his comments of Sirul’s immigration status, Duttton said: "I don't want to comment on individual matters, but the general rule of law in Australia means that people, if they are subject to a visa, the government has the ability to deal with that visa, they have the ability to process matters according to the law.
"There are certain items and procedures, I will let officials comment in relation to particular matters, but there's nothing else publicly that I would like to add to it," the minister said.
While refusing to disclose specific details of his meet with the home minister, Dutton said Sirul’s matter had been raised by Zahid.
"Yes, the minister raised that issue with me and its an issue that he takes very seriously. It was raised during the course of our meeting," Dutton revealed without commenting further. - M'kini
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