The Court of Appeal has fixed Jan 20, 2026, for its decision on the government and political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda’s appeals against the High Court ruling in favour of the family of murdered Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu.
Lawyer Abraham Au, who represents Razak, when contacted, said the date was set during case management before Court of Appeal deputy registrar Mariam Hasanah Othman on Nov 4.
On Oct 9, the appellate court three-man bench comprising Justices Hashim Hamzah, Azman Abdullah and K Muniandy deferred their decision after hearing submissions from all parties in the appeal.
Altantuya’s parents and their grandson had filed a RM100 million lawsuit on June 4, 2007, claiming that her death caused them mental shock and psychological trauma.
The Shah Alam High Court, on Dec 16, 2022, allowed the lawsuit filed by Altantuya’s family and ordered former police officers Azilah Hadri and Sirul Azhar Umar, Razak, and the government to jointly pay RM5 million in damages.
The government and Razak subsequently appealed against the High Court’s decision.
Azilah and Sirul were convicted in 2009 of murdering Altantuya in Shah Alam between Oct 19 and Oct 20, 2006. The Federal Court, in 2015, upheld their convictions and death sentences after overturning a prior acquittal by the Court of Appeal.
In October 2023, the Federal Court allowed Azilah’s review application and commuted his death sentence to 40 years’ imprisonment.
