theSun | MONDAY JULY 20 2009
news without borders
Press Digest
by Kong See Hoh
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
Call for transparency in
probe into Teoh’s death
THE death of Selangor exco
member Ean-Yong Hian Wah’s
political secretary Teoh Beng
Hock continues to dominate re-
ports in the Chinese press, three
days after his body was found on
the fifth floor of Plaza Masalam
after being interrogated by the
Selangor Malaysian Anti-Corrup-
tion Commission (MACC).
The reports centre on the
mystery surrounding his death,
the post-mortem, calls for trans-
parency in police and MACC
investigations and the setting up
of a royal commission, as well as
comments from various parties.
Below are some of the
remarks by politicians and non-
governmental organisations:
» Deputy Finance Minister
Datuk Chor Chee Heung: “The
government should set up a
royal commission to conduct a
thorough probe into the death in
the premises of the MACC head-
quarters building. I feel MACC
should be held accountable for
the unfortunate incident. It does
not bode well for the Barisan Na-
sional for as long as the findings
of a truly transparent probe are
not released.”
» Malaysia Crime Prevention
Foundation vice-chairman Tan
Sri Lee Lam Thye: “In view of
the seriousness of the case, I
urge the government to set up
an independent commission of
inquiry and release the findings
of a thorough probe. The public
are concerned about the case
and want to know the truth.”
» PAS Youth chief Nasruddin
Hasan Tantawi: “I want MACC
chief commissioner Datuk Seri
Ahmad Said Hamdan to resign
to take responsibility for Teoh’s
death. His resignation will help
restore public confidence in the
authorities’ investigation into
the incident.”
» MCA vice-president Datuk
Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek: “The
government needs to set up a
royal commission as it has the
power to summon anyone to
briefs
DAP to take legal
action against
commission
ALOR GAJAH: The DAP will ini-
tiate legal action against the
MACC in connection with the
death of political aide Teoh
Beng Hock.
DAP secretary-general Lim
Guan Eng, who disclosed this
yesterday, said the MACC
should be held accountable
for the Teoh’s death, Bernama
reports.
It (MACC) should not issue
statements that at the time
Teoh’s body was found, he
was not in its custody.
Lim said, as the MACC
office was a security area
and well-guarded, no one
could enter and exit as they
pleased.
“Only MACC officers with
authority cards had access
to the office. As such, the
commission should be held
accountable for Teoh’s death
and cannot deny that he (the
body) was found in its premis-
es,” he told reporters after
conveying his condolences to
assist in investigation into the
incident. The police and MACC
should be thorough and profes-
sional in their investigations into
the incident to regain public
confidence.”
» MCA Youth chief Datuk Dr
Wee Ka Siong: “MCA Youth is
taking a stand because a life is
lost. On humanitarian grounds,
we should speak up against any
injustice. We urge the govern-
ment to speed up investigations
and make the findings public.”
» Gua Musang MP Tengku
Razaleigh Hamzah: “My deep-
est condolence to Teoh Beng
Hock’s fiancée and family. I am
shocked and saddened over
Teoh’s mysterious death. It
has put the government and
enforcement agencies under
public scrutiny. The public hope
to see the authorities carry out
a full and independent probe to
reveal the truth.”
» Wangsa Maju MP Wee Choo
Keong: “Teoh Beng Hock’s death
has shocked the nation. MACC
should take full responsibility as
he was in the MACC premises
before his death. I don’t think he
committed suicide as a person
who is about to register his
marriage has no reason to kill
himself. The government should
set up an independent commis-
sion of inquiry and ensure the
personal safety of all individuals
summoned to MACC headquar-
ters for questioning in future.”
» Dong Zong (United Chinese
School Committees Associa-
tion): “There are many questions
unanswered over Teoh’s death,
including whether there was
criminal intent. It also shows
that there is no guarantee of
personal safety of those assist-
ing in investigation.”
» Associated Chinese Cham-
bers of Commerce and In-
dustry of Malaysia president
Tan Sri William Cheng: “The
circumstances surrounding
Teoh’s death may scare away
potential investors.”
Teoh’s family here.
On Saturday, press reports
quoted MACC chief commis-
sioner Datuk Seri Ahmad Said
Hamdan as saying that when
Teoh was found dead, he was
not in MACC’s custody.
As such, Ahmad had said,
the commission could not be
held accountable over the
death.
Clean up police and
MACC: Guan Eng
PETALING JAYA: DAP secre-
tary-general and Penang Chief
Minister Lim Guan Eng has called
for a clean up of the police force
and the MACC following the
deaths of several people in their
custody.
“I’m still in shock and am
terribly upset at the MACC for
allowing this to happen when
Teoh Beng Hock was under their
custody. Much as we know the
evil that lurks within our security
agencies, we are still shocked
at such acts of depravity,” said
Lim in his memorial statement
released yesterday.
“While many officers are
decent human beings, it is al-
ways the few criminal elements
that shatter any belief that our
security forces can protect us
or genuinely fight corruption,”
he said.
Civil society groups want royal commission
PETALING JAYA: Civil society groups want
a royal commission of inquiry to be estab-
lised to “independently and thoroughly
investigate” the Malaysian Anti-Corruption
Commission (MACC) over DAP political
aide Teoh Beng Hock’s death, and for all
officers involved to be suspended till the
inquiry is completed.
The 16 civil society groups, including the
Malaysian Bar Council, Kuala Lumpur and
Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH),
Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ),
Jemaah Islah Malaysia (JIM), Suara Rakyat
Malaysia (Suaram), and Writer Alliance for
Media Independence (Wami), also want
half the members of the royal commission
to be nominated by the Pakatan Rakyat to
ensure credibility.
The joint statement issued by KLSCAH
on behalf of the group on Friday said:
“MACC chief commissioner Datuk Seri
Ahmad Said Hamdan, its Selangor chief
Moh Samsudin (Yusof) and all officers
involved in the investigation of (Selangor
exco member) Ean-Yong (Hian Wah) and
his fellow lawmakers be immediately sus-
pended until the completion of the royal
commission’s work to ensure no cover-up
or obstruction to the investigation”.
KLSCAH Civil Rights Committee chair-
man Liau Kok Fah said the royal commis-
sion should also include “in its terms of
Teoh’s handphone with cops
by Charles Ramendran
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
SHAH ALAM: The handphone of political
secretary Teoh Beng Hock, whose body was
found on Thursday at the state Malaysian Anti-
Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters,
is in police possession and is being checked by
investigators for clues in solving the case.
It is learnt Teoh’s handphone, which his
colleagues from the DAP had demanded from
the Selangor MACC after the incident but
appeared to be missing, was handed over to
police along with his other belongings by an
MACC investigating officer who had earlier
recorded a statement from the deceased, on
Friday.
FINAL GOODBYE ... A grieving Soh Cher Wei kneels in front of her late fiance Teoh Beng Hock’s
coffin during the wake held at his parents’ home in Alor Gajah, Malacca.
‘Opposition trying to divert attention from MACC probe’
TANJONG KARANG: The death
of a political aide of a Selangor state
executive councillor (exco) had been
politicised by the opposition to divert
attention from the investigation of its
elected representatives by the Malaysian
Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri
Muhyiddin Yassin said the death of
Teoh Beng Hock, 30, the political aide
of Selangor state exco Ean-Yong Hian
Wah on Thursday, was politicised as
the MACC was conducting investiga-
tions into the misuse of the Selan-
gor government allocations to elected
reference the key issue of whether the
present command and power structure of
MACC has played a role” in the incident.
Teoh, 30, who was Ean-Yong’s political
secretary, was believed to have fallen from
the 14th floor of the Plaza Masalam, Shah
Alam, where the MACC Selangor head-
quarters was located on Thursday.
KLSCAH also urged Minister at the
Prime Minister Department Datuk Seri
Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz to apologise unre-
servedly to Teoh’s family for speculating
that he had jumped off the building ahead
of the conclusion of investigations into the
incident.
“The least we must do now is to en-
sure that justice is done with no cover-up
whatsoever and with full transparency and
credibility,” Liau said.
Bar Council president Ragunath Ke-
savan, in a statement said: “The reported
actions and omissions of MACC call into
serious question the treatment of wit-
nesses and suspects, and the methods
of interrogation used on them by law
enforcement officials”.
Referring to the more than 10 hours of
interrogation from 5pm to 3.45am, during
which Teoh was deprived of sleep, Ragunath
said: “Even detained persons have the right
not to be interrogated during the night. They
are to be allowed adequate rest.
State police chief DCP Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar
confirmed this but declined to elaborate.
Although the MACC had said that Teoh was
merely a witness to the case and not a suspect,
it did not say why they had taken away and
kept his belongings including his handphone.
Yesterday evening, a police forensics team
re-visited the Selangor MACC office and spent
hours gathering more clues.
Police also have in their possession the
video footages of CCTVs at the MACC office
elevator area and the building carpark.
It is learnt that based on their early findings,
investigators who have not ruled out foul play
in the case though it has been classified as
sudden death believe Teoh fell from the 14th
floor as he had never left the office.
representatives.
Teoh was found dead on the fifth
floor of Plaza Masalam in Shah Alam.
He had been questioned by officers
of the MACC which is located on the
14th floor of the building from 5pm on
Wednesday to 3.45am the following
day.
Muhyiddin, who is also Umno
deputy president, spoke at the opening
of the Tanjong Karang Umno Division
delegates meeting yesterday.
He said it was important for Barisan
Nasional (BN) component parties to
strengthen themselves and not be seen
3
“The manner of Teoh’s interrogation
amounts to torture according to internation-
ally-accepted human rights norms such as
the Convention Against Torture and Other
Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment of
Punishment 1984 and the International Cov-
enant of Civil and Political Rights 1966.”
Other responses:
» Bukit Lanjan assemblyman Elizabeth
Wong: “MACC must operate within ac-
ceptable guidelines. Even the police stops
interrogating suspects at 6pm.
“The police must seal off Plaza Masalam
and take into custody all those involved in
the interrogation. (MACC investigation di-
vision director) Datuk Mohd Shukri Abdull
should save whatever honour he and the
MACC has left by resigning.”
» DAP MP for Ipoh Timur Lim Kit Siang:
“The first death in MACC custody, Teoh Beng
Hock is the defining test for the MACC as to
its independence and professionalism as
well as for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdul
Najib Razak’s commitment to accountability,
transparency and the rule of law.”
» Gerakan CC member Dr Hsu Dar Ren:
“Since he was under the custody of MACC
and died an unnatural death while still in
the MACC building, MACC would have to
give a satisfactory answer not only to the
family of the deceased but to the public.”
It is also learnt police investigators
from the Shah Alam district police head-
quarters are working round the clock to
get to the bottom of the case and to
date 27 people, mostly Selangor MACC
personnel, have been questioned.
Meanwhile, the federal Malaysian
Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC)
said yesterday the premises of the
Selangor office at the 14th floor of Plaza
Masalam in Section 9 was not fitted
with closed-circuit TV cameras, as it is
a temporary office.
MACC deputy commissioner Datuk
Abu Kassim Mohammad said the com-
mission was considering fitting CCTVs
at the Selangor office two weeks ago
after being advised by the commission’s
Complaints Committee, an independ-
ent body comprising five members led
by a former appeal courts judge.
He said the committee had advised
them following several incidents where
witnesses who had given their testi-
monies in a case voluntarily had made
allegations of doing so under duress
due to pressure from interrogations.
Abu Kassim said this when asked
why the Selangor MACC was not
installed with CCTVs which would have
helped in the probe into Teoh’s death.
He said the Selangor MACC was
waiting for its headquarters building
in Section 16, also in Shah Alam, to be
built.
Abu Kassim said the federal MACC
is also carrying out its own investiga-
tions into the incident which will be
led by the commission’s director of
Professionalism and Excellence, and
the findings will be submitted to its
Complaints Committee.
He said his personnel have been
called in by police for questioning and
are giving their full cooperation in the
investigation.
as weak due to any in-fighting in the
coalition, which he said would make
them seem incapable in the eyes of the
people they represented.
Weaknesses should be overcome
so that the efforts to restore the image
of the BN could be carried out without
hindrance, he said.
At the event, Muhyiddin launched
Tanjong Karang Umno’s 1Malaysia
logo which had been prepared with
100kg of padi from Tanjong Karang
in conjunction with Muhyiddin’s first
100 days as deputy prime minister. –
Bernama