KUALA LUMPUR - As Malaysia's controversial Prime Minister Najib Razak and wife Rosmah Mansor celebrated the Muslim Aidilfitri festival in splendour, the mother of their former bodyguard prays for the well-being of her son, Sirul Azhar.
Sirul, a former police corporal, is now incarcerated in Australia and facing extradition for the sensational murder of a Mongolian model, Altantuya Shaariibuu.
Altantuya, who was killed in the most brutal way on Malaysian soil in 2006, has often been linked to Najib although his confidant Razak Baginda has denied this. According to Baginda, the beautiful Mongolian model was his lover and Najib did not have anything to do with her. Najib himself has denied ever knowing her.
Yet Altantuya refuses to leave the minds of Malaysians, who believe her murder was covered up to protect top leaders including Najib from being exposed in the massive corruption scandal behind the Malaysian government's over-priced purchase of 2 Scorpene submarines.
Altantuya, who was 28 when she was slain, had reportedly acted as translator for Baginda, who worked behind the scenes for Najib - then the Defence Minister - in the Scorpene negotiations with the French vendor.
"Tun said he (Sirul) is good boy. He worked many years for Mahathir. Tun said Sirul would not murder anyone like this, even if he received," the Freemalaysiatoday news portal reported Sirul's mother, Mak Piah, as saying.
Sirul, who asked Mak Piah to spend the festive holidays in Australia, had appealed for help from former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, for whom he acted as bodyguard for many years.
Mahathir has demanded Najib re-open investigations so as to probe who were the masterminds behind the murder.
“This (murder case) is not an eight-year-old problem. What I asked about is today’s problem – the problem of the lives of two cops on death row. It is highly unjust if they, two lower rank officers, are killed for following instructions," Mahathir had posted on his blog.
“I am only asking about the person who gave out the instruction to Sirul and his friend (Azilah).
Breakthrough imminent?
Sirul and his supervisor Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri were sentenced to hang in Malaysia but Sirul managed to abscond to Australia where the Najib administration is trying to extradite him.
Mahathir is also locked in a power tussle with Najib and has openly accused him of massive corruption and being unfit to be PM.
“In my blog, I did not accuse Dato Seri Najib of committing any crime. That can be determined if the police carry out probes," said Mahathir, when asked to clarify his stunning posting published in April.
Siru's 73-year-old mum, in recounting an earlier visit to Austrailia, held fast to her motherly instincts that her son could not be guilty of such a heinous crime.
"I felt assured, that when questioned, he said he did not do it (kill her). In fact, his friend who worked as a police officer also did not believe," said Mak Piah.
Be that as it may, after months of plodding and intensive investigation, those who have been following the case believe a breakthrough is imminent.
With the stakes so high, many fear for Sirul's safety should Najib succeed in bring him back to Malaysia.
Yet, as a convicted killer, until a Malaysian probe is conducted and the findings of the Court proven incorrect, Sirul remains a highly wanted man. - Malaysia Chronicle
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