The father of Altantuya Shaariibuu, the Mongolian woman murdered in a high-profile case involving associates of former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, has described any attempt by Najib to stage a political comeback as “insane,” according to an interview reported by Bloomberg.
Shaariibuu Setev, 76, whose daughter was brutally killed in 2006 by two bodyguards linked to top Malaysian officials, expressed no concern over whether Najib serves the remainder of his prison sentence for corruption at home or behind bars. “It’s the same,” Shaariibuu said during the interview in Hong Kong. “He has met his end already. There is nowhere to go.”
Najib Razak, 72, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for abuse of power, criminal breach of trust, and money laundering in connection with the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal. His sentence was halved last year, and he has petitioned to serve the remainder under house arrest. Despite ongoing legal battles, Najib is actively attempting to rehabilitate his reputation.
Altantuya’s murder remains one of Malaysia’s most shocking political scandals. In October 2006, the 28-year-old was abducted, shot twice in the head, and then killed with explosives in a forest outside Kuala Lumpur. Two secret-service policemen, Azilah Hadri and Sirul Azhar Umar—bodyguards to Najib and other senior officials—were convicted of the murder, though no clear motive was established. Najib has always denied any involvement, and no legal proof of his connection to the killing has ever been presented.
In 2019, Azilah claimed in a statutory declaration that Najib ordered the murder, while Sirul has stated he acted under orders but has not named the source. Najib has neither been charged nor convicted in relation to the murder.
Shaariibuu and his family won a civil lawsuit in 2022 against Azilah, Sirul, Abdul Razak Baginda (Altantuya’s former lover and former adviser to Najib), and the Malaysian government. The court ordered the defendants to pay more than $2 million in damages. Appeals are ongoing, with rulings expected soon.
Shaariibuu has campaigned tirelessly for justice over nearly two decades. Despite his grief, he advocates against capital punishment. When Malaysia abolished the mandatory death penalty in 2023, Azilah’s death sentence was commuted to 40 years in prison and corporal punishment. Shaariibuu argues that executing Azilah would silence a critical witness to the truth about his daughter’s death. “Getting executed is easy,” he said. “But I want him to suffer all his life.”
Meanwhile, Sirul fled to Australia before his conviction became final and remains free there due to Australia’s refusal to extradite prisoners facing the death penalty. Shaariibuu has called on Australia to return Sirul now that Malaysia no longer enforces mandatory capital punishment.
The devastating murder shattered Shaariibuu’s family, leaving two children motherless, one disabled child deceased, and later the loss of his wife. Despite personal hardship and financial strain—including selling his home to fund legal battles—Shaariibuu remains resolute. “I am smarter than them all,” he said. “I will prevail.”
