RED flags were raised when convicted killer Sirul Azhar Umar fled to Australia before the Federal Court sentenced him to death for the murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu in 2015.

How could the authorities allow a murder suspect in a high-profile case just leave the country undetected?

Malaysians may finally get an answer to that question.‎

Police conducting raids and investigating former prime minister Najib Razak post-GE14, have uncovered a secretive and powerful intelligence agency within the Prime Minister’s Office which they believe was behind Sirul’s escape.

Sources told Malaysia Decides that investigators believe the unit provided financial help to Sirul throughout his time in Australia.

Investigators noted that the Research Department existed even before Najib became PM but, in recent years, has carried out secret operations to keep him in power. 

The unit also had a hand in recording a video of Sirul in which he admitted to the murder but absolved Najib of any involvement into the case.

Following the defeat of Barisan Nasional in GE14, Sirul has offered to reveal everything about the murder of Altantuya if the new Pakatan Harapan government offered him a full pardon.

But DAP lawmaker Ramkarpal Singh is against Putrajaya offering any deal to the convicted killer.

“The offer is downright insulting to her memory and ought not to be entertained at all,” said Ramkarpal, the Bukit Gelugor MP.

“There is absolutely no hint of remorse from Sirul, particularly when the murder was committed in such a heinous manner.”

Ramkarpal said it is “unlikely” that Sirul has any personal knowledge of what transpired, saying evidence from the 2009 murder trial indicated that Azilah (former police commando Azilah Hadri) played a bigger role.

Altantuya was shot dead and the body blown up with military-grade plastic explosives outside Kuala Lumpur.

Sirul and Azilah were convicted in 2009 and sentenced to hang. They were later released when an appeals court overturned the conviction in 2013 after raising questions about how their trial was conducted.

But Malaysia’s highest court upheld their death sentences in 2015. Sirul fled the country ahead of that ruling. – May 21, 2018.