KUALA LUMPUR: Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain stated that there would be concerns regarding the death penalty in any request to extradite former police commando Sirul Azhar Umar back to Malaysia.
He emphasized the need to consider the different criminal justice systems in Australia and Malaysia, ensuring that the punishment for a crime in both countries are aligned. For instance, if a crime is punishable by life imprisonment in Australia, the same punishment is applicable in Malaysia.
Razarudin highlighted the absence of the death penalty in Australia in contrast to Malaysia, which still enforces it. He made these remarks on Tuesday (Nov 14).
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Razarudin mentioned that Malaysia has only made the mandatory death penalty discretionary. He also conveyed that as long as the death sentence on Sirul remains applicable, attaining cooperation from Australia for his extradition is unlikely.
He noted, “Unless, now, Sirul himself wants to return, or appeals to the court here to (review) his punishment.”
In 2009, Sirul and accomplice former chief inspector Azilah Hadri were found guilty of murdering Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu and received death sentences.
Their sentences were overturned by the Court of Appeal in 2013 but were upheld by the Federal Court upon the prosecution’s appeal.
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Sirul fled to Australia, where he was detained by Immigration after Interpol issued a red notice on him. He was released last week following an Australian High Court decision on Nov 8 which ruled that non-citizens unable to be deported could no longer be detained indefinitely.
Altantuya, 28, was allegedly shot dead and her body was blown up with explosives at a secondary forest near the Subang Dam in Puncak Alam, Shah Alam in 2006.
