KUALA LUMPUR: The family of slain late Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu wants the government to initiate a thorough inquiry into the allegations contained in the affidavit of ex-Special Action Unit (UTK) Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri, which he presented during his Federal Court hearing in October last year.
Azilah, who was convicted of the 2006 Altantuya murder, had his death sentence commuted to 40 years' imprisonment from his arrest on Nov 1, 2006 and 12 strokes of the cane by a three-member Federal Court bench led by Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat.
The family's lawyer, Sangeet Kaur Deo, said Azilah's affidavit, which was admitted into the court's record without objections from the Attorney-General's Chambers implicated high ranking government officials in ordering a covert operation to eliminate and dispose of the late Altantuya.
She said the implications of these allegations directly challenge the integrity of our public institutions, particularly the police and if proven true, these claims indicate the exploitation of state institutions for personal agendas by influential
individuals, undermining public trust and damaging the nation's international reputation.
"Despite the severity of these claims and a formal letter sent to Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, as far back as October last year, copied to the Prime Minister and the A-GC, there has been no response or visible action from the ministry.
Sangeet said Altantuya's family also urged the government to clarify the status of its efforts to ensure the extradition of former police officer Sirul Azhar Umar, who was also convicted of Altantuya's murder, from Australia to face the legal consequences of his actions.
According to the trial, Altantuya was shot dead before her body was blown up with explosives at a secluded spot near the Subang Dam in Puncak Alam, Shah Alam by Azilah and Sirul.
In 2009, the Shah Alam High Court imposed the death penalty against the duo after finding them guilty of murdering Altantuya at Mukim Bukit Raja in Shah Alam between 10pm on Oct 19 and 1am the following day in 2006.
Meanwhile, the court acquitted political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda of abetting the murder.
After the Appellate court ruled to free Azilah and Sirul from the charges, the Federal Court in 2015 overturned the decision and upheld the death sentence imposed by the High Court.
Sirul Azhar fled to Australia and was later apprehended by Australian Immigration while Azilah has been serving his sentence.
Azilah filed a review over the top court's ruling in 2019, together with his 32-page statutory declaration, which claimed that the order to kill Altantuya had come from Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who was the deputy prime minister.
He also had sought to set aside his conviction and death sentence imposed by the Federal Court on Jan 13, 2015, and an order for retrial.