PUTRAJAYA (Dec 17): Former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak will file an application to intervene in former police special action force (UTK) personnel Azilah Hadri's review application to set aside his 2015 conviction for the murder of former Mongolian model and translator Altantuya Shaariibuu.

Lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, who acted on the ex-premier's behalf, told reporters today that he was asked to intervene as Najib is implicated in a series of explosive allegations in Azilah's statutory declaration (SD).

"I was asked to intervene by Najib as there were many allegations for review which involve Najib.

"It's obvious that you cannot make a condemnation in court without having the person there to defend himself," he said.

The senior counsel also rubbished the SD, as these allegations have been raised for the first time in ten years.

"These allegations are made at the eleventh hour when he is expecting to be hung," Shafee added.

He also said his client has been targeted and victimised by the current Malaysian government.

"My client has been targeted and victimised so he can be arrested without bail," Shafee said.

He was speaking to the media after the case management regarding the application at the Federal Court today before deputy registrar Azniza Mohd Ali.

Shafee alleges 'VVIP' met with Azilah outside prison
Shafee also said this was a move coordinated by "agents of the Pakatan Harapan Government", and claimed that Azilah has been brought out from death row at the Kajang Prison to meet an individual who he claimed to be a VVIP.

"I am aware that from February, Azilah has been visited and there is very reliable information that in that month, Azilah met a VVIP outside the prison, but I cannot confirm this," he said.

When probed further whether the VVIP was a politician or had any affiliation to any political parties, Shafee declined to reveal who the person is.

He also claimed that this meeting, if true, was a total breach of prison protocol as the meeting took place outside the prison.

"[This allegedly happened] outside the prison, not inside the prison. This is totally a breach of protocol," he said, adding that he is trying to confirm if this is indeed true or not.

Shafee added the purported meeting was an act of 'mala fide' to create a sensation around his client, who is currently on trial for his role in the 1Malaysia Development Bhd and SRC International Sdn Bhd corruption scandals.

He also alleged that the other convicted person in this case, Sirul Azhar Umar, has allegedly been taking similar actions in Sydney, Australia, where he is currently detained.

"I know for a fact that Sirul too has been making movements in Sydney, because there are a few people that have been persuading him to come out with something of this sort.

"We feel that this is a coordinated and mischievous application," he said.

Meanwhile, Azilah's lawyer J Kuldeep Kumar also confirmed that his client had filed the review application last week under Rule 137 of the Rules of the Federal Court 1995 with an order for a retrial.

Kuldeep said the application to review Azilah's conviction was supported by the SD and affidavits.

Lawyer Sangeet Kaur Deo had filed an application to hold a watching brief in the review for Altantuya's family.

"More importantly, the police should conduct an investigation, as fresh evidence has emerged following the filing of the SD," she said.

The deputy registrar set April 20, 2020 for the hearing brief of the application during case management.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Norina Bahadun said they will study the SD before briefing the Attorney-General Tan Sri Tommy Thomas on the next course of action.

English portal Malaysiakini yesterday reported about the SD, which claimed that Najib had ordered Azilah and Sirul, another member of the UTK, to kill Altantuya.

The details were among the applications filed by Azilah to the Federal Court to review the guilty verdict and the death sentence passed on him.