12 TELLING IT AS IT IS theSun | FRIDAY JULY 24 2009

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Cast panel’s
Time for cool heads
light from certain individuals
to proceed with his duties.
And usually when there

net wider
is a serious breach of proce-
dures or tragic incident such
as Teoh’s death, those who
were on duty in interviewing
Teoh on the night he died by Sonia Randhawa

and reflection
“YB, something
is better than
nothing. You must
support the MACC
Bill,” I implored a
senior opposition
leader.
“We have been
shown the draft
of the Bill and it is
good.”
“All right Ter- Down2Earth
ence, if you say so.
by Terence Fernandez
I want to look into
it further before I
speak to my col-
leagues, but I guess it cannot
be any worse than it is now,”
he replied.
Today, those words of
mine continue ringing in my
ear. “You told us to support
it, now look what has hap-
pened,” said an SMS from a
party leader the day Teoh
Beng Hock was found dead
in the building housing the
MACC Selangor headquarters
in Shah Alam.
If there was one thing,
which was overlooked by both
Citizen Nades and I while por-
ing over the bill and speaking
to former Prime Minister Tun
letters
letters@thesundaily.com
Abdullah Ahmad shaken over the first death in
would have been sent on
leave. Why this was not done
begs an answer.
In any case, one has to
acknowledge the prime
minister’s swift response in
announcing the setting up of
THE young man fell to his death,
a key witness in a corruption
investigation. The coroner gave
an open verdict, ruling that the
death could have been murder,
but could also have been suicide,
Badawi and the commission’s custody and a royal commission of inquiry an opinion upheld by the High
senior ACA staff, are genuine in wanting to get to investigate the interrogation Court. This isn’t a crystal ball
it was interroga- to the bottom of the incident. procedures of the MACC. prediction. This was the fate
of Rumie Azzan Mahlie, 31, an
tion procedures
of witnesses and
Datuk Seri Abu Kassim
Mohamad, the MACC’s No
Can one dare hope that
the procedures adopted after investigating officer with the
Freespace
suspects. We 2 did not hide his shock and this will mean an end to Department of Environment. His Where young views rule
figured that with dismay over the incident and claims that hardcore tactics death occurred in a state build-
the five advisory vowed that the truth will are used such as alleged 17- ing in Kuching.
and complaints come out. Having dealt with hour interrogations, physical Rumie had raised questions about the enforcement of
panels, there was Abu Kassim before gives me and mental abuse and sleep legislation on storing and dumping of toxic waste. About six
little room for the confidence that he is sin- deprivation? That witnesses months after his death, evidence related to the case was
abuse of powers cere in his pursuit to clean up will not be treated as suspects destroyed in a fire. Police concluded that arsonists were
and should be allowed to behind the blaze.
or process. the commission’s image.
How wrong Last November, when he leave and their belongings not The parallels between the case of Rumie and Teoh Beng
we were – not so had coffee with Citizen Nades seized unless they are vital to Hock are sad. Among other things, the case was raised
much because MACC officers and I at the Concorde Hotel the case? in Parliament not by the environment minister, Rumie’s
continued with the old way of Shah Alam, Abu Kassim the Until then, and until the (indirect) boss, but by Opposition leader Lim Kit Siang. And
doing things, but because the main draughtsman of the MACC can guarantee that again, it is the Opposition that is making the most noise
guardians failed to perform MACC Bill was also con- witnesses don’t end up as about the death of a civil servant – even if this time it is
their duties. vinced that it is the best solu- corpses on its premises, I am one of their own.
In the meantime, while tion to improve the ACA and not setting foot into any MACC But the differences are also stark. It’s possibly a sign of
there are those among us reinstate public confidence in office. Investigators are free the times. But it could be a question of geography. Rumie
who are crying for blood over the agency. to interview me at my office died in Kuching, far from the seat of federal power. The
Teoh’s death, it is imperative We are certain that the where we have comfortable illegal dumping that he was investigating was in Johor.
that cool heads prevail. MACC can achieve all it was meeting rooms, recording When the High Court heard an appeal by the family to
The last thing we need intended to achieve under the devices and most importantly have the case re-opened, to clear his name of the taint of
are politicians trying to score stewardship of people like CCTVs. suicide and prosecute those they believe to be responsible,
brownie points and get their Abu Kassim. Alas! He too ul- the case was observed by the family. News reports don’t
share of the spotlight by tak- timately reports to higher ups. Terence is on a well-deserved mention supporters or politicians – other than the one
ing to the streets and playing He too has to depend on other break and hopes for better days who was advancing the family’s case. And, of course, the
the race card. agencies and individuals such to come for his country when political implications of the two cases are different.
There are also many with- as the police, the attorney-gen- he returns. He can be reached Another mysterious death, which seems to have
in the MACC who are just as eral’s chambers and the green at terence@thesundaily.com. escaped the notice of many West Malaysians, is that of
Penan elder Kelesau Naan. After supposedly being eaten by
wild animals, his body was found in a place that had been
repeatedly searched by local people. Kelesau was leading a
struggle to keep timber companies out of lands traditionally
owned and occupied by the Penan and his son says that he
had been threatened because of his advocacy.
Kelesau’s death did not involve a fall from a tall building

High premium on personal responsibility
WE refer to “Swine flu checks gone to the
dogs” (July 22).
We are pleased that Citizen Nades is
taking ownership of the A (H1N1) issue by
highlighting it in his widely-read column.
Quality investigative journalism is to
be commended, and it is clear that his
checks were thorough, and his concerns
real. However, there are a number of
points which the Health Ministry would
like to clarify. We hope the explanations
offered are not the excuses that Citizen
Nades anticipated. It is indeed regrettable
that this was how he read the situation.
Our health workers have worked 24/7
to manage every aspect of the spread of
this virus. Their leave has been frozen to
allow the nation to retain as much nor-
mality as possibility.
While it may be their job to exercise
vigilance throughout, we are all human
and prone to weariness. But they have
shown only the best attitude at all times
and for this, the ministry applauds them.
So thorough have been the checks that
travellers have even complained of delays
at our airports.
With regard to the increase in cases,
Citizen Nades will notice that this is the
general global trend, as A (H1N1) is a new
virus and we have yet to develop immu-
nity to it. In a statement dated July 2 the
WHO said that with a pandemic, peaks
– and therefore an increase in cases – are
to be expected.
Closely monitoring WHO recommen-
dations and adhering to our own National
Influenza Pandemic Preparedness Plan
(which can be viewed at our website) has
allowed us to anticipate the behaviour of
and was unconnected with state agencies. But he was
a key witness and one of four plaintiffs in a land rights
case dating back
the virus and prepare ourselves for to 1988. And
future scenarios. the reaction of
From the outset of this outbreak, We believe that the young state agencies
the ministry has sought partnership should have a say in how and the lack of
with the rakyat. The people of Ma- transparency in
things are run, because they
laysia bond strongly in a crisis – we the investiga-
have seen this quality during floods, have everything at stake in tion have been
the Boxing Day tsunami and so on. our future. This column cre- disconcerting.
Because of this, the Health Ministry ates that space for our panel While Kele-
has every confidence that the rakyat of bright young sparks. sau’s case has
will continue to practise the highest been taken up
standards of personal responsibility, by NGOs and
which includes giving accurate infor- local politicians,
mation on health declaration forms. We as with Rumie, there has been
have also instructed our officers to scruti- no public outcry into his death, no call for a royal commis-
nise these forms after collecting them. sion of inquiry. Both cases are political, both connected to
allegations of corruption.
Corporate Communications Unit These three cases and the official reaction in all instanc-
Health Ministry es points to a deep-seated malaise within our government
institutions. It is on a continuum with the women, family
and community development minister’s announcement

Give students the Let’s be honest with that those interested in the report on the rape of Penan
women could see her personally to discuss the matter. It’s

best learning tools
I WISH to tender my apologies to all concerned
for having assumed that the Education Ministry’s
meeting (On the policy reversal on the medium
of instruction to teach science and mathemat-
ics) in Putrajaya on Tuesday was open to the
public.
We, the concerned parents, have started
collecting signatures of those who disagree
with the policy reversal. We are also urging
parent-teacher associations to hold EGMs to
register their desire that science and maths be
continued to be taught in English.
The teaching of these two subjects in Eng-
lish is to equip the students with the tools to
understand the two subjects better, and for the
easier acquisition of knowledge and information
concerning the same as most if not all available
references on the two subjects are in English.
Shamsudin
Parents Action Group Petaling Jaya
ourselves
I REFER to “DAP, Gerakan criticise
Dr M’s blog post” (July 23). I am
aghast, confused and sad all at the
same time reading the accusations
levelled at the former premier on his
latest posting. Instead of accepting
the truth of the matter they go around
town to discredit an icon who has
contributed all his life for the better-
ment of all Malaysians.
Unfortunately, these groups chose
to single out the few statements that
are rather contentious but full of re-
ality and conveniently avoided those
that are meant to give an insight into
our special social fabric. They have
failed to understand the posting as
a whole.
Didn’t Tun Dr Mahathir Moha-
mad specifically mention that prob-
ably all this misfortune of the Malays
is because of the Malays themselves.
They did not use the opportunities
taking privatisation far too far – making private the public
interest, making it the domain of the few.
We, the rakyat, are expected to sit back and assume
that were given to them. He even that the authorities are working in our best interest, regard-
accused some of misusing these op- less of any evidence to the contrary.
portunities. Only an impartial, independent royal commission of
He also said that the NEP was inquiry which does and is seen to do justice will set to
implemented with restraint and rest the MACC’s critics (bar a few conspiracy theorists).
amended from time to time when The findings of the commission must be made public. And
faced with opposition. these findings, and any recommendations coming from
And finally, he wrote that he is of these findings, must be acted upon.
the opinion that for the country to be (The cabinet decided on Wednesday for a magistrate’s
peaceful and developed, the distribu- inquest to determine the cause of Teoh’s death and a royal
tion of wealth and quality of life of all commission of inquiry to examine the methods used by the
races should be fair even though not MACC to question suspects and witnesses.)
necessarily equal. Ideally, the scope of the commission could be extended
I think those are kind and wise to include the deaths of other witnesses, such as Rumie
words from him. We should in fact and Kelesau.
ride on his wisdom instead of de- Otherwise, as with the Royal Commission into the Op-
monising him. erations of the Police Force, the commission will merely
Let’s be honest with ourselves galvanise forces for change, and further damage the cred-
and call a spade a spade. That is the ibility of Malaysia’s institutions.
only way to move forward.
Sonia thinks liberty and equality are the only real guaran-
Zamri Mahmud tors of security. Comment: letters@thesundaily.com
Kuala Lumpur