Sirul: Altantuya’s “real” murderers are still at large

One of the two men sentenced to death for the murder of Altantuya Shariibuu has come out saying that the Mongolian model and translator’s “real” murderers are still on the loose, and that he only acted under orders.

Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar, who is currently being detained in Australia, told Malaysiakini that he was contemplating telling all he knows in regard to the grisly murder that transpired in 2006. 

“I was under orders. The important people with motive (to murder Altantuya Shaariibuu) are still free.

“It is not like I do not love the police (force) or the country, but I acted under orders,” The Malaysian Insider quotes him as saying. 

Despite being held in Australia pending the Malaysian government’s requests to have him extradited to face punishment, Sirul is still allowed to have access to a mobile phone and the Internet. 

“I haven’t decided (on whether) to do the interview,” he said, in reference to the tell-all on the murder case. 

Should he decide to proceed with it, he was certain he would reveal all he knew on the case. 

Malaysiakini reported that Sirul was in negotiations with Australian TV stations on the exposé.

Sirul and Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri had their death sentence for Shariibuu’s murder reinstated on January 13. Sirul was not present in court as the verdict was delivered, and reports later revealed that he had left for Australia last Ocotber.

Sirul told Malaysiakini that he never even knew Shariibuu or Abdul Razak Baginda, the political analyst and a known associate of Prime Minister Najib Razak who was acquitted of abetting the Mongolian model’s murder in 2006. 

Evidence presented in the murder case showed that Shariibuu was murdered before her body was blown up using C4 explosives on October 18 2006, on the outskirts of Shah Alam. 

Australia has repeatedly denied Putrajaya’s request to extradite Sirul to face punishment, due to its policy of opposing the death penalty. 

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