KUALA LUMPUR: The deportation of Sirul Azhar Umar, who was convicted and sentenced to death for murdering Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu, from Australia, will be discussed with the prime minister, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
“If Malaysia’s mandatory death sentence (for murder) can be changed, he (Sirul) can return,” she said when asked to comment on Sirul Azhar’s political asylum bid that was rejected by an Australian court on Monday.
Dr Wan Azizah was met after the third anniversary celebration of the China Entrepreneurs Association in Malaysia (PUCM). The event was held in conjunction with the 45th anniversary of Malaysia-China diplomatic relations.
Also present were PUCM president Datuk Keith Li and Chinese ambassador to Malaysia, Bai Tian.
A spokesman from the Australian Attorney-General’s Department said Wednesday that Sirul Azhar can be extradited back to Malaysia on the condition that an undertaking is provided that the death penalty will not be carried out.
Australia’s news portals had reported that Sirul Azhar’s political asylum bid was rejected by an Australian court on Monday.
Sirul Azhar was sentenced to death in 2015 for the murder of Altantuya.
On banners in Bangsar here which called for the removal of Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, to be replaced by PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Dr Wan Azizah said: “It is a mischievous act to break us.”
On Malaysia-China relations, Dr Wan Azizah said the ties remained strong despite a change in government (in Malaysia).
Bilateral trade between Malaysia and China hit an all-new high in 2018, grew 13 per cent to US$108.6 billion (RM443 billion) from US$96 billion (RM392 billion) in 2017, while the number of Chinese visitors to Malaysia increased almost 30 percent to 2.94 million last year. -- Bernama