In a shocking turn of events, Azilah Hadri, one of the convicted murderers of Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu, has had his death sentence commuted to 40 years in prison, with an expected release in 2034 based on his good behavior remission. While some may view this as leniency, others see it as a blessing in disguise, keeping alive the possibility of justice for Altantuya and the unresolved questions surrounding her brutal murder.
In 2006, Altantuya was shot in the head in a forest at Puncak Alam, and her body was subsequently destroyed with explosives.
Alongside Azilah, his co-conspirator Sirul Azhar Umar remains in Australia, avoiding extradition due to the country's policy against deporting individuals facing the death penalty. In a confession to Al Jazeera English's 101 East, Sirul claimed he did not kill Altantuya but acknowledged his involvement in the crime. He revealed that he was coerced into accepting RM1 million from an unnamed source to remain silent about the case.
Together, these two convicted men stand as living witnesses, and their very existence keeps the hope of uncovering the real masterminds behind the crime alive.
Razak Baginda, who was an aide to the then Deputy Prime Minister Dato' Seri Najib Razak, was charged with abetting the two but was acquitted without his defence being called.
As time passes, the fear of the "untouchable" masterminds behind Altantuya’s murder grows, as the convicted murderers still hold the key to unraveling the truth. Sirul and Azilah had no personal motive to kill Altantuya. Both Azilah and Sirul have yet to fully expose the potential motives and true orchestrators of the crime, leaving those responsible in fear of the inevitable: their exposure and eventual judgment.
Sangeet Kaur Deo, the lawyer representing Altantuya’s family, recently urged the Attorney General (AG) to speedily expedite the extradition of Sirul Azhar Umar back to Malaysia. With the recent legal reforms abolishing mandatory death sentences for murder, Malaysia now has grounds to request Sirul’s return from Australia. Sangeet emphasized the AG’s duty to pursue all possible leads, regardless of the status or influence of those involved.
Latest Federal Court’s decision not only reduced Azilah’s death sentence but also revived attention on his controversial statutory declaration from 2019. In it, Azilah alleged that he was acting on orders from former Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak and his aide-de-camp DSP Musa Safri when Altantuya was murdered. Both were never called as witnesses in the court proceedings. Najib has staunchly denied these allegations, but the claim raises further questions about the extent of political involvement in the case.
Both Azilah and Sirul had initially been sentenced to death in 2015 by the Federal Court for Altantuya’s murder. Sirul fled Malaysia before the verdict, eventually seeking asylum in Australia. His continued freedom has long frustrated those seeking justice for Altantuya, as his silence allows the true perpetrators to avoid accountability. However, Sirul's time in Australia may soon come to an end if the legal reforms prompt his extradition.
With Azilah’s commuted sentence and Sirul’s potential extradition looming, the unresolved case of Altantuya’s murder may finally see new developments. As the clock ticks down on their remaining years of freedom, the masterminds behind the crime must live in constant fear of the truth coming to light, and bad karma catching up to them.
As the saying goes, "Justice delayed is not necessarily justice denied."
By: Kpost
Information Source: Malaymail , Malaysiakini , Astroawani
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