A legal expert has expressed the view that it will be tantamount to impossible for Malaysian authorities to convince their Australian counterparts to extradite convicted Altantuya Shariibuu murderer Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar.
The chairperson of the Organisation of Volunteer Lawyers for All (SukaGuam) Khairul Anuar Rahmat told Harian Metro‘s Kalidevi Mogan and Muhammad Saufi Hassan that Australian law clearly prohibits the country’s government from extraditing individuals who would face the death penalty in their home countries.
“Despite the fact that Sirul is now under detention in Australia following a red alert on him from INTERPOL for Shariibuu’s murder nine years ago, I’m fairly certain the Malaysian government’s application to have him extradited will not pass,” he said.
“Australia unequivocally objects to the death penalty sentenced on their citizens in drug smuggling cases in Indonesia.
“Therefore, it’s impossible to conceive that they would allow the extradition of Sirul to face the death penalty here in Malaysia,” he added.
He also said that even with the added weight of diplomatic pressure brought to bear on the issue, Sirul’s extradition from Australia is almost impossible.
“For the record, Australia is known to firmly stand its ground on these issues. They are determined to demonstrate that their government and their legal system is exemplary, and they want to be known as the ‘world’s police’.”
Khairul further said that the Malaysian judicial system had harmed its own reputation by effectively sentencing Sirul to the death penalty while the accused was not present at the proceedings.
“The sentence should not have been meted out until the accused had already been extradited,” he said.
Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar had earlier said that the PDRM would be in discussion with the Attorney-General’s Department to facilitate Sirul’s extradition from Australia so he could face his sentence.
Photo: The Star
