The Australian government has set aside its past prickly relationship with Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and is looking forward to working with him and his new administration.

“I am looking forward to a very positive relationship with the new government and we look forward to working with Mahathir.

“It is a whole new era, so I am looking forward to this exciting chapter in Australia-Malaysia relations,” Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said in an interview with Malaysiakini at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel today.

Back in 1993, then Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating had called Mahathir “recalcitrant” after the latter boycotted the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in Seattle.

For Bishop, this happened very long ago and the dynamics have since changed drastically.

“The events you were speaking about were a long time ago and completely different personalities (were) involved and (those were) different political parties in Australia,” she said.

But that was not the only incident between Mahathir and Australia during his first stint as prime minister.

Mahathir also locked horns with then Australian Prime Minister John Howard over Howard’s 1999 remark that Australia was the US’ regional “deputy sheriff”.

Bishop again clarified that Australia does not see itself in that position and neither does the US.

“That is not the way Australia perceives our position.

“It is certainly not the way the US sees our position, so that would be a misdescription of Australia’s role in the Indo-Pacific.

“Our focus is on ensuring a free and open and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.

“That is in Australia’s interest, and I would suggest, in the interest of the region,” she said.

Bishop, who was in Malaysia for a three-day working visit, had met with several ministers as well as Pakatan Harapan de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim.

They discussed a range of issues, she said, including defence and security relationships between the two countries as well as the reform agenda.

She said Australia is ready to assist with any support and advise on reforms that the Malaysian government seeks.

“All the ministers I’ve met have asked for an exchange of ideas with Australia by looking for examples of what we have done in the past in terms of economic and political reform.

“I believe that there will be many instances where there will be an exchange of ideas, discussing different experiences,” she said.

Asked about the cost of detaining Malaysian fugitive Sirul Azhar Umar at the Villawood Detention Centre in Sydney, she said she does not have the details.

“That is a matter for the (Australian) Home Affairs Department. I wouldn’t have that kind of detail,” she said.

She also said Sirul’s destiny in the long-run would be up to the Malaysian government and whether it wishes to apply for an extradition request.

Yesterday, in a press conference with Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (photo, above), Bishop said that her country’s position on Sirul was a matter of principle as it involved the death penalty.

She had also stressed that Malaysia has, to date, not filed a formal extradition request for Sirul.

The Federal Court in 2015 found police commandos Sirul and Azilah Hadri guilty of murdering Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu in 2006 and sentenced them to death.

The duo was at the time with the police's elite Special Actions Unit and bodyguards to then deputy prime minister Najib Abdul Razak.

Altantuya was shot to death and her body was subsequently blown up with military-grade C4 explosives.

Azilah is on death row but prior to the decision by the apex court, Sirul fled to Australia where he is being held as an immigration detainee.