The family of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu will be filing an application at the Federal Court to appeal a lower court’s decision today absolving the government of liability over her death in 2006.
Lawyer Sangeet Kaur Deo told a press conference in Putrajaya that certain legal issues need to be addressed at the apex court, including whether an employer (the government) can be held vicariously liable for its employees’ illegal conduct.
Earlier today, the Court of Appeal found that the government was not vicariously liable for the actions of former policemen Sirul Azhar Umar and Azilah Hadri, on grounds that they were not performing their official duties at the time of the murder.
It also upheld liability against Sirul, Azilah and political analyst Razak Baginda for their involvement in Altantuya’s death.
Sirul and Azilah were convicted of Altantuya’s murder in 2015.
The appeals court today slashed the damages awarded to Altantuya’s family from RM5 million to RM1.38 million.
Justice and accountability
Altantuya’s father, Shaariibuu Setev, said the lawsuit was never about claiming damages, but about seeking justice and holding those responsible for her death accountable.
“I am looking for an apology,” Shaariibuu told the press conference through an interpreter.
He also insisted that he wanted to personally hear from Azilah who gave him the order to kill Altantuya.
Sangeet said they had filed a judicial review last year, asking the authorities to complete their probe into Azilah’s 2019 affidavit.
Azilah alleged that he had received orders from “higher authorities” to carry out a “covert operation” to “kill and dispose of the deceased (Altantuya)”. The case is pending in the High Court.
Azilah is currently serving a 40-year jail sentence for Altantuya’s murder, while Sirul has fled to Australia.
