Sirul meets mother in Australia

PETALING JAYA: Four days after departing from Malaysia, former police commando Sirul Azhar Umar's mother Piah Samad and younger sister Noriatin Omar, finally met him at Australia's immigration detention centre in Villawood, Sydney earlier this evening.
PAS information chief Datuk Mahfuz Omar said in a statement, the meeting lasted two hours from 5.30pm to 7.30pm.
"I believe this humanitarian mission has been a success as both mother and son who love each other, were able to finally meet. Piah brought sambal bilis from her village (in Perak) while I bought some grapes and sports shoes which Sirul wanted.
"The environment was extremely sad for us during the meeting as both mother and son hugged. The mother's tears were for her son whom she misses dearly as he is so far away and also because she doesn't know what fate awaits him.
"I wish to thank the Australian government for their assistance for allowing us to meet with Sirul, who also expressed his gratitude to all who have paid attention (to their plight)," the Pokok Sena MP said.
When contacted, Mahfuz said the hours were spent simply between mother, son and his sister, and nothing regarding Sirul Azhar's case was discussed.
"Today was a meeting for the family and will continue until our departure this Friday. We will meet Sirul at the same time during this brief period," he said, adding that Piah was not ready to speak to the press about seeing her son.
"We also bought some meat for his mother to cook his favourite dish of sambal daging for today's (Wednesday) meeting. She had brought some earlier but was barred by the authorities (at the airport) from bringing it in," he said.
Asked if this meeting will be brought up at next week's Parliament session, he said: "I will only speak about this once we have arrived back. For now, it is only about them seeing each other."
Sirul Azhar, who is currently detained in an Immigration and Border Protection Department facility, is a former member of the police special action squad. He left for Australia in October and was detained under the country's immigration laws due to his non-declaration of being an accused in the Altantuya murder case and that he had a pending appeal applied for by the prosecution against his freedom.
Sirul Azhar was jointly charged with his superior, former chief inspector Azilah Hadri, but failed to show up at the Federal Court to face the verdict of the prosecution's appeal to overturn a decision by the Court of Appeal to free both men in 2013.
On Jan 13, the Federal Court ruled that the High Court in 2009 had not erred in its verdict in sentencing both men to death for the murder of Altantuya in 2006. Only Azilah was present to hear the verdict.
Although there is an extradition treaty between both countries, Australia does not support the death penalty and may turn down the request to extradite Sirul Azhar.