SHAH ALAM: The High Court here yesterday allowed an application by the Malaysian government to strike out a civil suit filed against it by deceased Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu’s family.
Lawyer Ram Karpal Singh, representing Altantuya’s father, Shaariibuu Setev and three other family members, said High Court Judge Datuk Ahmad Nasfy Yasin allowed the application with costs.
“I have informed the court that the plaintiffs intend to appeal against the decision at the Court of Appeal.
“The High Court has fixed Nov 23 as the next mention date,pending the said proposed appeal,” he said in a statement here yesterday.
However, Ram Singh said the suit filed by Altantuya’s family against three other defendants, – Special Action Unit officers Azilah Hadri and Sirul Azhar Umar, and political analyst Abdul Razak Abdullah Baginda – remained unaffected by the decision and would proceed after the disposal of the appeal.
Shaariibuu, his wife Altantsetseg Sanjaa and Altantuya’s two sons, Mungunshagai Bayarjargal and Altanshagai Munkhtulga filed the suit on June 4, 2007.
In the suit, Altantuya’s family is claiming RM100 million in compensation.
They named Azilah and Sirul Azhar, Abdul Razak and the Malaysian government as defendants.
Abdul Razak was charged with conspiring with Azilah and Sirul Azhar to kill Altantuya, 28, in 2006, but he was acquitted of the charge in October 2008 without having to enter his defence, while Azilah and Sirul Azhar were found guilty in 2009.
On August 23, 2013, the Court of Appeal allowed Azilah and Sirul Azhar’s appeal and acquitted them of the charge.
However, on Jan 13, 2015, the Federal Court allowed the prosecution’s appeal and set aside the Court of Appeal’s decision.
It found Sirul Azhar and Azilah guilty and sentenced them to death by hanging.
Altantuya’s family, in their statement of claim, alleged that her death had caused them mental and psychological trauma.
They alleged that Abdul Razak conspired with the two police officers to kill Altantuya.
They further alleged that Altantuya was shot dead and her remains blown up into pieces with a C-4 explosive by Azilah and Sirul Azhar at a jungle at Puncak Alam, Shah Alam on Nov 7, 2006.
The plaintiffs claimed, among others, that as a result of Azilah, Sirul Azhar and Abdul Razak’s action, they suffered anguish particularly Altantuya’s sons, who had lost their beloved mother and breadwinner. — Bernama