Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the case was now being probed under Sections 120B and 124C of the Penal Code.

Section 120B deals with the punishment of criminal conspiracy while 124C touches on attempts to commit activity detrimental to parliamentary democracy.

Zahid said this in a reply to Lim Lip Eng (DAP-Segambut), who asked him in the Dewan Rakyat whether police had started investigating Sirul’s claim.

On Jan 13, 2015, the Federal Court sentenced Sirul and former Special Action Unit commando Azilah Hadri to death for the murder of Altantuya.

Sirul escaped to Australia and was detained on Jan 20 last year by Australian immigration after Interpol issued a red notice. He is being held at the Villawood Immigration Detention Centre in Sydney.

Lim, in his question, also asked Zahid to clarify the status of Sirul’s extradition from Australia. The deputy prime minister said the extradition could only be done on extraditable offences.

“The request needs to fulfil the dual criminality requirement, whereby both nations must see it as an offence.

“Unfortunately, the sentence imposed on Sirul is against Australia’s anti-death penalty.

“The process to bring Sirul back is still at the negotiation stage and involves internal discussions with the Home Ministry, the police, the Attorney-General’s Chambers and Foreign Affairs Ministry.”