PUTRAJAYA - Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail confirms that murderer Azilah Hadri, guilty of killing Mongolian woman, Altantuya Shaaribuu in 2006, is seeking to avoid the gallows and getting his death sentence reviewed.
Speaking at a press conference at PKR’s 17th Annual Congress today, Saifuddin disclosed that Azilah was among the 900 death row detainees who have applied for the bid to get a second lease in life.
"Yes. Azilah is among the first group of 900 detainees who had applied for a review of their death sentences,” said Saifuddin at PICC Putrajaya, here, today.
The commuting death sentences was made doable in Malaysia following the abolishment of mandatory death sentence for offences including drug trafficking and murder and the enforcement of the Revision of Sentence of Death and Imprisonment for Natural Life (Temporary Jurisdiction of the Federal Court) Act 2023 (Act 847).
Azilah along with fugitive wanted man, Sirul Azhar Umar were found guilty of murdering Altantuya on November 9, 2008.
Unlike Azilah, Sirul – both of whom were part of the then-government’s security details – managed to avoid imprisonment by fleeing to Australia.
The duo’s murder made headlines again following a tell-all interview of Sirul on Al-Jazeera’s 101 East programme, where Sirul case a bevy of aspersions implying jailed former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s role in the killing of Altantuya.
Najib expectedly, has consistently denied of having any influence over the murder.