Malaysia will go to Australian courts to take back Altantuya killer Sirul, says deputy minister
(Malay Mail Online) – Malaysia will file for an extradition order from the Australian court if its government refuses to hand over Sirul Azhar Umar, the former police commando convicted of killing Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said today.
The deputy home minister said the federal government is still seeking its Australian counterpart’s cooperation first before resorting to the courts.
“The Malaysian government feels strongly that this person must be brought back and Australia must not interfere with Malaysia’s judiciary by refusing to send him back,” he told reporters after a working visit to the Penang police headquarters here.
Wan Junaidi said the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and Attorney-General (AG) will first discuss the extradition with the Australian government before taking this action.
He said if the discussions fail, the IGP and AG will file for the extradition order in the Australian court.
“The court is the final arbitrar of law to approve or reject the extradition order and it is within our right to file for him to be extradited,” he said.
Sirul is one of two former police commandos sentenced to death for Altantuya’s murder in 2006, after the Federal Court overturned their acquittal on Tuesday.
