Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Khalid Abu Bakar today denied fugitive commando Sirul Azhar Umar's claim that he lied about investigations into the murder of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu.

"I firmly stand by what I have said to the press yesterday and there is no reason why I should mislead the public and the nation," he said referring to Malaysiakini's news report  published earlier today.

Instead, Khalid called Sirul a desperate man and challenged the murder convict who claimed he was instructed to carry out the hit against Altantuya to reveal all.

"Sirul is a desperate man who is resorting to desperate measures to save his life.

"He is doing his best not to return to Malaysia where he will be facing the death penalty," said Khalid in a statement this evening.

Khalid said Sirul was trying to bring into disrepute and doubt the investigations into the murder case, the criminal justice system, as well as his own involvement in the murder.

"From what we have gathered in his outburst thus far, he has offered us no new leads that would have absolved him of the crime.

"Therefore, we would welcome his challenge to spill the beans, if he has any," said the top cop.

Claim gaining traction after Dr M's query

Sirul, in a phone call from Sydney with Malaysiakini early this morning, accused Khalid of lying after the police chief said officers had been deployed to Australia to interview the murder convict but no new leads were found.

He is presently held at an immigration detention centre in Australia.

Sirul told Malaysiakini no Malaysian police officer had ever met him since he fled to the country.

Together with Azilah Hadri, Sirul was sentenced to death in January by the Federal Court for the murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu.

The two were then deputy prime minister Najib Abdul Razak's bodyguard.

Sirul had claimed that he was ordered to conduct the hit.

His claim has further fuelled speculation after former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad ( above ) came out in support of the fugitive.

Altantuya was in 2006 shot dead and blown up with military-grade explosives after purportedly demanding for a cut of commission in a submarine deal.

Najib, who was also defence minister at that time, denied ever meeting Altantuya.

Najib's associate defence analyst Abdul Razak Baginda was also charged for abetting in murder but was cleared by the Shah Alam High Court in 2008.