While politics and skulduggery are frequent bedfellows in most countries, it’s hard to believe the extent of the intrigue and corruption in the Malaysian government. The greatest scandal surrounds the murder of a beautiful young woman who was having an affair with a high-ranking apparatchik. Only she wasn’t just killed, she was blown to pieces with explosives by two government bodyguards. One of her killers, Sirul Azhar Umar, was sentenced to death but fled to Australia and is now being held in Sydney’s Villawood Detention Centre. It’s believed Sirul is keeping a dirty secret about who ordered the murder. Now, Malaysia’s former Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad – himself an outspoken and controversial figure – has come out of retirement to have his say. He tells Ross Coulthart the Australian government needs to protect its Malaysian detainee and grant him immediate asylum.

Reporter: Ross Coulthart
Producers: Grace Tobin, Mary Ann Jolley