Will new PH govt reopen Altantuya case?

New Malaysian government may commute fugitive Sirul Azhar's death sentence to enable his extradition from Australia, according to the Guardian newspaper.

Former Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu was murdered in 2006 by two policemen.

PETALING JAYA: The Pakatan Harapan government may reopen the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder case, says an expert on Malaysian law at Western Australia’s Murdoch University, The Guardian reported.

Lecturer Greg Lopez said this was because there were still many questions left unanswered despite the conviction of two policeman – Sirul Azhar Umar and Azilah Hadri – for the murder of the Mongolian model in 2006.

“The fact no motive for the murder has ever been established leaves open the question that it was a state-sponsored killing and that needs to be thoroughly investigated.

“Najib could find himself in a very precarious situation,” Lopez was quoted as saying by the UK daily.

He added that new Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad might also look into commuting Sirul’s death sentence in order to get him back to Malaysia.

In 2009, the Shah Alam High Court found Sirul and Azilah guilty of murdering Altantuya and sentenced them to death by hanging. However, the Court of Appeal, on Aug 23, 2013, freed them, causing the government to take the case to the Federal Court.

Sirul then fled to Australia in late 2014. However, in January 2015, following the Federal Court ruling that upheld the original conviction and death sentence on him and Azilah, Australian police arrested Sirul in Queensland after an Interpol alert.

He was later detained by Australian immigration authorities for having overstayed his visa and sent to the Villawood Centre.

The former Barisan Nasional government were reported to have initiated moves seeking Sirul’s extradition since early last year but no progress had been made.

In March this year, former home minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told the Dewan Rakyat that the government was still looking at the best way to bring Sirul back from Australia.

He said that the issue needs careful handling as it involves another country’s laws and policies, as the Australian government does not approve of the death penalty.

Hence, if the death sentence is commuted, there would no longer be any reason for Australia to deny Malaysian authorities the extradition request.

The case has dogged Najib since 2008 but there has not been any direct link established between him and the murder.

Najib has always denied any involvement nor ever knowing Altantuya.

Former political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda, a former aide to Najib, was originally charged with abetting Azilah and Sirul over the murder but was acquitted by the High Court on Oct 31, 2008. The prosecution did not appeal against his acquittal.

‘Don’t say anything’

Meanwhile, according to The Guardian, two weeks prior to the 14th general election, former Johor Umno Youth deputy chief Khairul Anwar Rahmat met with Sirul at the Villawood detention centre in Sydney.

Quoting a source from the centre, the report said that Khairul was sent to deliver a message: “Don’t say anything”.

The sudden interest in Sirul is believed to be because his application for a protection visa is due to be heard within the next few months.

He is said to be under pressure from Australian authorities to prove he did not mastermind the killing of former Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu if he is to be deemed not a threat to the Australian community and granted a protection visa.

So questions remain over whether he will be willing to implicate others in order to secure freedom in Australia for himself. -FMT