KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 19 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak should clarify if he knows details about the murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu, a DAP MP said today after the prime minister rubbished fugitive ex-police commando Sirul Azhar Umar’s latest claim that he was acting under orders when he killed the Mongolian model.
DAP’s Gobind Singh Deo said the onus was now on Najib to explain matters as the murder case was a matter of public interest and international concern.
“The prime minister has today said that Sirul’s claim that he acted under orders is utter rubbish. How does he know this? This pin’s him down to that question.
“If Sirul’s claim isn’t true, then what is?” Gobind said in a statement.
“Either he as prime minister knows what happened or he doesn’t,” the Puchong MP added, saying that Najib would be in no position to deny the matter publicly if he was not privy to details of the investigation into the murder.
Gobind said if Najib has no information on the matter, the prime minister must be prepared to retract his earlier remarks on Sirul’s claim and direct an open and transparent inquiry into the matter.
Earlier today, Najib described as “rubbish” Sirul’s latest claim that he was acting under orders when he killed Altantuya in 2006.
Sirul is reportedly considering revealing why he and another former police commando shot dead the Mongolian model and blew her body up with explosives.
Currently detained by Australian immigration authorities, he claimed that the Federal Court should have called his then-superior, deputy superintendent Musa Safri, to testify.
Sirul, who has been sentenced to death for the murder, previously said he did not know Altantuya or her ex-lover Abdul Razak Baginda, who was acquitted of abetting her 2006 killing.
Abdul Razak is a former aide to Najib.
Sirul’s latest claims have renewed calls for the police to reopen the case, especially as the authorities have yet to establish the motive behind the killing.
But Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said yesterday that his men will not re-investigate the murder despite the new allegations.
He said it was premature to start a new probe into the murder as Sirul has yet to divulge information that merited renewed scrutiny into the case.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has confirmed that Malaysian police have sent a formal request to Australia through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to extradite Sirul.
Australia’s extradition legislation prohibits an individual from being sent back to another country for an offence punishable by death, unless that country pledges not to carry out a death sentence.
Sirul and former chief Inspector Azilah Hadri were charged with the murder of 28-year-old Altantuya in 2006 and convicted in 2009.
They were freed after the appellate court acquitted them in 2013, but the Federal Court reversed the acquittal last month and sent them back to hang, marking the end to the eight-year saga.
Sirul was a no-show during the Federal Court hearing and it was later revealed that he is in Australia.
