Sirul needs to reveal mastermind of murder, stop speculation - Criminologist

SHAH ALAM - Former member of the Special Actions Unit (UTK) Sirul Azhar Umar who was convicted of killing a Mongolian citizen Altantuya Shaariibuu needs to reveal the mastermind of the case to stop any speculation.

Independent criminologist Shahul Hamid Abd Rahim said the disclosure was important so that the public knows the real situation including the chronology of the incident.

"There is too many speculation and the only ones who really know about the incident are those involved.

"Sirul needs to reveal, but the question is why he wants to testify now after being sentenced.

"If he dares, he (Sirul) has to come back to Malaysia, make a police report only then the investigation and other legal processes can be done," he told Sinar.

Sirul in an exclusive interview on Al Jazeera English's 101 East on Friday claimed that he was just a scapegoat and admitted to receiving RM1 million while in Australia from an unnamed source to keep him silenced.

He also claimed that he received orders from the highest politicians to kill the woman.

In response to Sirul's allegations, former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak through Defence Lawyers & Solicitors Shafee and Co urged Sirul to reveal everything about the mastermind behind the case.

Therefore, Shahul Hamid said the evidence about the real situation needed to be done immediately either through the defence of the evidence in court or making a new police report.

He said the legal process could ease the situation, calm all parties and reduce baseless speculation.

"Perhaps the (Malaysian) court can make a decision to withdraw the death sentence because as long as it remains, the Australian government will not release him (Sirul).

"The extradition process needs to be done, then the investigation and other legal processes can continue," he said.

The Federal Court in 2015 convicted and sentenced Sirul and former Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri to death for the crime of killing Altantuya.

The Mongolian model was shot in the head in 2006 in a forest at Puncak Alam, Selangor and her body was blown up with explosives.

Azilah is currently serving his sentence in Kajang Prison while Sirul had fled to Australia first and was detained in the country's immigration detention centre.

Last Nov, the High Court of Australia ruled that indefinite immigration detention was unlawful.

However, Australia would not deport Sirul to Malaysia because the country's laws did not allow individuals facing the death penalty to be repatriated to their country of origin.