Gov't appealing, wants out in Altantuya family's RM100m suit

The government has filed a motion for leave to appeal before the Federal Court over it being reinstated by the Court of Appeal to be a defendant in the suit filed by Shaariibuu Setev and the family of the late Altantuya Shaariibuu.

Contacted by Malaysiakini today following case management, the family's lawyer Sangeet Kaur Deo confirmed that the government has filed the motion and the family would have to file an affidavit in reply to the motion by June 6.

The case management today was held before Federal Court deputy registrar Sabrina Bakar.

It was reported last March 14 that the three-member appellate court bench led by Justice Mohd Zawawi Mohd Salleh, who is now in the apex court, unanimously allowed the family's appeal, ruling that there are triable issues and the government was reinstated in the RM100 million suit.

With that, Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri and Corporal Sirul Azhaar Umar, who were convicted for the murder of Altantuya, and the government, were named as defendants in the suit.

The family is appealing the decision of the High Court in Shah Alam, made in August last year, in allowing the government's striking-out application, citing that there was no reasonable cause of action.

Setev and Altantuya's two children, Mungunshagai Bayarjargal and Altanshagai Munkhtulga, filed the RM100 million suit in 2007.

Altantuya was murdered in October 2006 at a secluded forest in Puncak Alam, near Shah Alam. Azilah and Sirul were found guilty and sentenced to death by the Federal Court in 2015.

However, Sirul fled to Australia before the verdict by the Federal Court was delivered in 2015.

He was arrested by the Australian authorities and still remains in the Villawood Immigration Detention Centre in Sydney. - Mkini