No request to extradite Sirul, says Australia

PUTRAJAYA: The Australian government has confirmed, today, that discussions have been held with the government to clarify the status of convicted murderer Sirul Azhar Umar.
The statement by the Australian High Commission in Kuala Lumpur also confirmed Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's statement that the government has not lodged an extradition request with Australia for Sirul.
"Australia looks forward to continuing and strengthening our productive and longstanding law enforcement cooperation with the Government of Malaysia."
Mahathir earlier today refuted claims that the government had requested Sirul's extradition from its counterparts in Australia.
Mahathir said the possibility of Sirul returning to the country is unlikely, unless the latter's death sentence for murdering Mongolian model Altantuya Sharibuu is commuted to life imprisonment instead.
"No, we have not made any discussions yet with the Australian government.
"I am getting this from you (reporters) for the first time," he said after chairing the cabinet committee on the integrity of government management (JKKMKPK) meeting at Putra Perdana, here today.
He was responding to an earlier news report by UK daily The Guardian that Malaysia was negotiating with Australia to extradite Sirul.
However, Mahathir said in an effort to return him back to the country, the government will be seeking to reducing Sirul's sentence from death sentence to life in jail.
"If he fears that other people might kill him, he has a choice of not coming back," he said in response to Sirul's assertions that his life might be in danger should he return to the country.
Mahathir also said that the government is open to reopening the 2006 murder case of Shaariibuu, whose body was destroyed with C4 explosives by Sirul and another former police officer, Azilah Hadri.
"We have been asked to look into it and we are looking into it," he added.