Sirul in video: Some tried to use me to oust someone

A video, purportedly of former police commando Sirul Azhar Umar, has surfaced in which he claims certain quarters and the media attempted to use him to "topple and slander" an unnamed individual.

In the two minutes and fifty-one second video which Malaysiakini had sighted via a source who declined to be identified, Sirul repeated his lawyers' earlier allegations that unnamed parties are trying to use him to further their spurious agenda.

"I want to explain and elaborate on the media statement issued by my lawyers in Kuala Lumpur recently," said the former policeman, who is currently being held in an immigration detention centre in Australia.

"After the statement was made, just a few days after that, there were still some parties who took the opportunity to contact me here," he continued in calm monotone in the footage which appears to have been recorded on a mobile communications device.

"I want to say here that I have no interest whatsoever to make any statements after this," he said.

Referring to the earlier statement by his lawyers that certain parties are trying to use him to further their own agenda, Sirul said he no longer has the time to entertain such distractions as he is precoccupied with applying for asylum in Australia.

"As we know, my lawyer Kamarul Hisham Kamaruddin himself has said, there are certain processes, including immigration and legal matters ongoing here that need my attention.

"So I now want to fully focus my time and energy to be able to stay here, in my application to remain here," he reiterated.

Sirul fled to Australia prior to the Federal Court overturning his acquittal and convicting him and another ex-police commando Azilah Hadri of murdering Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu.

Australian law prohibits deporting those who face the death sentence in their home countries.

Some in media tried to use me

In the video, Sirul also revealed that some media also tried to use him.

"Before this we know that the media have been playing its part (to cover my case), though there are some media who played a role which I find discomfiting," he said.

However, he said this is not blanket statement, but "that some quarters and some media are playing a role in an attempt to topple and slander an individual."

Sirul however did not name the parties or media, nor the individual that they were trying to topple and slander, but it was an obvious reference to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

Previously Sirul was being courted by opposition figures who even visited him, though some of those involved denied they were the ones Sirul said tried to make use of him.

In an exclusive interview with Malaysiakini early last year, the former police commando had also claimed to be a scapegoat and alleged that he had acted under orders.

Najib has repeatedly denied any connection with the case, and the police have also cleared him. -Mkini