PETALING JAYA: Former policeman Sirul Azhar Umar, who is facing the
death sentence here for the murder of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu, is pleading for his life in Australia, saying it is dangerous for him to return to Malaysia.
In an exclusive interview with Aljazeera English’s 101 East, which was released this morning, he also apologised to Altantuya’s family and asked for their forgiveness.
He claimed that he was not responsible for the murder although he had been convicted for it by the apex court in Malaysia.
He alleged that he was made a scapegoat and caught in a political game in which he admitted receiving RM1 million while in Australia from an unnamed source to “shut his mouth”. He also made several serious unverified allegations against a few prominent personalities.
“I am appealing to the community here to accept me. I promised my son I will never, ever breach the law here. I (will) follow everything. I’m aware that it’s truly unsafe for me to return there.
“Whatever happens, I want to build a life with my child here in Australia. I hope the Australian community accepts me (for) who I am. I’m not a bad person.
“I love Australia from my heart, from my soul. Give me a second chance. One more thing. I’m going to apologise to the family of Altantuya. Please forgive me. That’s it,” he told the international network in his first interview since his release two weeks ago from
the Villawood immigration detention centre in Sydney.
Sirul was among the dozens of immigration detainees released after an Australian High Court ruled that indefinite immigration detention is unlawful.
It overturned a 2004 ruling that non-citizens without visas could be detained indefinitely provided the government intended to remove them as soon as possible.
Sirul said a Malaysian police officer met him a day after his release and told him the Australian minister of foreign affairs had rung up the Malaysian High Commission asking if he was safe in Canberra.
“They told him I was safe. But I am really upset, look at the news, everything (is) bad about me. So, the community here is really, really scared of me. (They think) Sirul is dangerous.”
Australia would not deport Sirul to Malaysia as the country’s laws do not allow all those facing the death sentence to be repatriated to their countries of origin.
Altantuya was shot in the head in 2006 in a forest in Puncak Alam, Selangor. Her body was later blown up with explosives.
Sirul and fellow former police officer Azilah Hadri were convicted in 2009 by the High Court of killing Altantuya, who was described as an interpreter. Azilah is currently on death row at Kajang Prison.
They succeeded in overturning their conviction at the Court of Appeal in 2013, but the Federal Court in 2015 restored their conviction and sentenced them to death.
Sirul fled to Australia before the final verdict.
He had been held at the detention centre since 2015 after being detained by Australian police. His first application for political asylum in Australia was rejected in 2019.
