KUALA LUMPUR, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia is considering reopening the investigation into the death of Altantuya Shaariibuu, a 28-year-old Mongolian interpreter of a submarine deal who was killed in 2006, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said Friday.
At a press conference, Mahathir was asked whether Malaysia is requesting the extradition of Sirul Azhar Umar, a former Malaysian government bodyguard who was found guilty of the murder at that time but fled to Australia afterwards.
Sirul, who is now held in a detention center in Australia, is reported to have said that he is willing to assist the new government in uncovering the whole truth if he was given a full pardon.
"Sirul cannot come back because Australia does not allow people convicted of death penalty to be extradited," Mahathir said, adding the Malaysian authorities may commute his sentence in return for his return.
"So when we reduce the sentence from death to maybe life sentence or whatever, maybe he will come back," Mahathir said.
Altantuya, who served as an aide to then consultant for the Malaysian defense ministry Abdul Razak Baginda, was killed and blown to pieces with explosives at a forest in Malaysia. Razak Baginda was charged with abetting the murder but was acquitted in 2008.
After the Malaysian election last month, Mongolia also urged Mahathir to reopen investigation into the case.?