Teoh Beng Hock's sister demands accountability

New Straits Times

2 days ago

KUALA LUMPUR: The sister of Teoh Beng Hock has demanded transparency and accountability from the authorities after the Attorney-General's Chambers (A-GC) and police decided not to pursue further action in the 2009 case.
Beng Hock's sister, Lee Lan expressed her dismay over the decision for no further action (NFA), especially given that multiple court rulings had established the death was not due to suicide or an accident.
She said that the Court of Appeal had ruled in 2014 that Teoh's death was caused by the actions of individuals, including Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officers, and demanded that the police investigate the case under the proper criminal provisions.
"The recent police investigation of the case was under Section 342 of the Penal Code for wrongful confinement, instead of provisions appropriate for a homicide case.
"The post-mortem revealed serious neck injuries, yet no one has been held accountable.This is a clear case of homicide," she said at a solidarity event for her brother.
She also called for those currently in the government to act appropriately as they had in the past stood by the fact that he was killed.
"Those in government now, had in the past stood by the fact that Beng Hock was killed.
"Why now NFA? It's a slap on their face (on what they have stood for)," she said.
Last month, Beng Hock's family was informed by police that their latest investigation into the case had been classified as requiring no further action or NFA.
On Nov 21 last year, the High Court had directed the police to complete their long-delayed investigation into the death more than 15 years ago.
Beng Hock died on July 16, 2009 at the fifth floor of Plaza Masalam, Shah Alam, after being questioned for hours by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC). An inquest was held and the coroner returned an open verdict.
However, the Court of Appeal in 2014 ruled that his death was caused by "one or more persons unknown", including MACC officers.
In 2019, police launched an investigation under Section 342 of the Penal Code for wrongful confinement.
Prior to 2018, two special investigation teams were set up – one in 2011 and the other in 2015 – to look into Teoh's death, but both cases were classified as NFA by the public prosecutor.
Meanwhile, Eliminating Deaths and Abuse in Custody Together (Edict) chairman M. Visvanathan, said he would be able to solve the case within 21 days if he were appointed as a special prosecutor.
Speaking at the same event, he called for the A-GC to appoint him as an ad hoc prosecutor to oversee the case involving Beng Hock's death.
This, he said as three doctors had confirmed that Beng Hock had injuries to his neck which occurred prior to his fall from the fifth floor of Plaza Masalam in Shah Alam.
"I propose to the AG, prime minister and home ministry, make me the ad hoc prosecutor. I will solve this case within 21 days of my appointment," he said.