'Humanitarian trip not to dig on murder'

PAS information chief Mahfuz Omar will not press murder convict Sirul Azhar Umar on details of Altantuya Shaariibuu's murder when they meet.

He said this is because the trip is a humanitarian one, to reunite the ex-police commando with his mother Piah Ahmad.

"This is a humanitarian mission for a mother who misses her son.

"If Sirul wants to tell me anything that will be up to him," Mahfuz told reporters at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport today.

To emphasise the humanitarian side of his trip, Mahfuz is also bringing along a pair of jogging shoes Sirul had asked for.

"The tagline for my trip is 'C4 Yourself' (See for yourself)," he quipped.

Sirul was sentenced to death for murdering the Mongolian national and blowing up her body using military grade explosives known as C4.

Piah and Sirul's sister, Noriatin Umar, 37, remained silent throughout the press conference.

Mahfuz, Piah, Noriatin and four others are flying to Sydney tonight on board a Malaysia Airlines flight to meet Sirul at an immigration detention center where he is being held.

They will be back in Malaysia on March 7.

No teleconference

When asked if they have received permission to visit Sirul, Mahfuz who is also Pokok Sena MP, simply said: "InsyaAllah (God willing)".

He also ruled out the possibility of holding a teleconference with the media, saying it would be too difficult to organise.

Sirul fled to Australia, which has laws against extraditing those facing the death penalty at home.

He was sentenced to death alongside colleague Azilah Hadri.

Abdul Razak Baginda, a political analyst and associate to now Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, was released without his defence being called for abettment in the 2006 high profile case.

Sirul earlier told Malaysiakini he acted under orders, and is mulling a tell-all interview with Australian media.

In response, PM Najib said Sirul's claim is "utter rubbish".