PETALING JAYA: Sirul Azhar Umar, a Malaysian murder convict who was released from detention three weeks ago, may soon find himself back in prison as the Australian government rushes to pass a preventive law allowing the detention of immigrants with a criminal history for up to three years.
Last month, Sirul was among 148 foreign detainees who were freed after the High Court ruled indefinite detention unlawful.
According to Australian news portals, a new law being considered would allow authorities to re-arrest the detainees and hold them for up to three years.
The decision to incarcerate can only be made by a court of law if the detainee has been convicted of a violent or sexual crime punishable by at least seven years and poses a risk of re-offending.
Following his detention at the Villawood Immigration Detention Centre in Sydney for overstaying, Sirul could now face being placed in a full-fledged prison under the new law.
Sirul, 51, a former police commando, along with his ex-colleague Azilah Hadri, was sentenced to death for the 2006 murder of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu.
After the verdict was overturned by the Court of Appeal, Sirul fled to Australia in 2015. However, the Federal Court later reinstated the death sentence for both men.
While Azilah remains in jail in Malaysia pending a review of his sentence, Sirul was detained by Australian authorities for nine years before being freed last month.
The Australian authorities have placed an electronic monitoring device on Sirul to keep track of his whereabouts.
