SHAH ALAM — The High Court here today ordered the Malaysian government and political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda to deposit over RM9 million in damages into the account of the law firm representing the family of the late Mongolian woman, Altantuya Shaariibuu.
Lawyer Sangeet Kaur Deo, representing Altantuya’s family, said Judicial Commissioner M. Sumathi, also granted a conditional stay application by the Malaysian government and Abdul Razak as defendants regarding the payment pertaining to the lawsuit against them by Altantuya’s family.
“The court ordered both defendants to each deposit RM4.702 million, including interest and RM25,000 in costs, into the account of Karpal Singh & Co law firm within 30 days from today, pending the disposal of their (defendants’) appeal in the Court of Appeal,” she said when contacted.
According to her, the appeal by the Malaysian government and Razak Baginda against the lawsuit ruling is scheduled to be heard on May 19.
Meanwhile, Senior Federal Counsel Samiah Rhazali and Nik Mohd Noor Nik Kar, representing the government, confirmed the matter when contacted.
Altantuya’s parents, Dr. Shaariibuu Setev and Altantsetseg Sanjaa, along with their grandson Mungunshagai Bayarjargal, filed a RM100 million lawsuit on June 4, 2007, naming two former Special Action Unit (UTK) officers, Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar, as well as Abdul Razak and the Malaysian government as defendants.
On Dec 16 last year, Judge Datuk Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera, who is now a Court of Appeal Judge, ruled in favour of the lawsuit and ordered the defendants to jointly pay RM5 million in general, aggravated, and exemplary damages to the family.
The judge also ordered all four defendants to pay RM25,000 each in costs.
In their statement of claim, the family alleged that Altantuya’s death caused them mental shock and psychological trauma, entitling them to aggravated and exemplary damages.
Altantuya was said to have been involved as a translator in negotiations for the sale of submarines by French arms supplier, DNS, to the Malaysian government.
Altantuya was murdered between 10 pm on Oct 19, 2006 and 1 am on Oct 20, 2006 at a forest atop a hill near Puncak Alam in Selangor.
Azilah and Sirul Azhar were convicted over her murder. – February 12, 2025