PUTRAJAYA, 17 July 2009: Promising that no stone would be left unturned in the probe into the death of a political aide yesterday, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin called on all parties to allow the police to conduct their investigations without any hindrance.
“We cannot assume things as we have yet to identify the reason behind the incident. Please do not point fingers at anyone. We cannot accuse anyone or make baseless allegations as it could create unnecessary problems. Let us wait for the police to investigate the incident.
“Whatever it is, we are not looking to cover up. We want a transparent investigation into the matter. The police are investigating and we should just wait until they complete their investigation,” the deputy prime minister told reporters after chairing the cabinet committee meeting on foreign workers here today.
Yesterday, Teoh Beng Hock, 30, the political secretary to Selangor executive councillor and Seri Kembangan assemblyperson Ean Yong Hian Wah, was found dead on the roof of the fifth floor of Plaza Masalam in Shah Alam.
His body was found by the building janitor at about 1.30pm, hours after he was questioned by officers from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), whose office is on the 14th floor.
Teoh was assisting in the MACC’s probe into allegations that several state assemblypersons had misused government allocations.
News reports said Teoh was taken in for questioning by the MACC on the evening of 15 July and was released from the commission’s office at about 3.45am the next day.
“The investigation is the responsibility of the police. They have to conduct a thorough investigation. There is nothing to be afraid off. The police can investigate anyone, including the MACC, politicians and individuals. There should be no hindrance to police investigations,” Muhyiddin said.
He called on all parties not to be emotional over the incident.
Asked to comment on the demonstrations organised by the opposition parties, especially the DAP, over the incident, he said they were unnecessary as the police knew the situation better.
“This is under the security jurisdiction. If the police say there is no need to organise such demonstrations, then do not blame them if they take action against such demonstrations.
“This incident has drawn a lot of attention. Do not make false accusations… Let it be. The police I’m sure will leave no stone unturned in handling the matter,” he added. — Bernama
Singam says
They will investigate the way they investigated Kugan’s death? What we need is an impartial body with no affiliation to Umno or the BN government to conduct the inquiry.
D Lim says
Don’t speculate, we are told. Until the public trust the government esp the enforcement officers, there will be suspicions and rumours no matter what you tell them! Deaths in custody seem not to be a surprise anymore. What is happening to my country? Have we gone so low? And until trust is built, rumours will rule. It was a sad day when Kugan died in custody and sadder when a politician implied that being an alleged criminal, he did not deserved sympathy/justice. So now what? Teoh’s an alleged criminal so he was served no justice? Many of us do not deserve justice?
D evil says
We do not have faith in Muhyiddin, the police or any govt machinery. They are all tainted and cannot be trusted to be professional.
tshock says
If the dead was your son, would you not be emotional? What a load of bull!
Fisher says
In the 60s, there was this song – Blowing in the wind.
How many roads must a man walk down, before he is called a man …
In our beloved country’s context:
How many Teohs and Kugans must die, before they cease and desist …
How many billions must they appropriate before they can stop pillaging,
How low our nation must fall before they awaken to their excesses,
How much lawlessness shall the Rakyat endure, before the Royalty steps in,
How much racial polarity will they encourage before they can live with others,
How much distrust will they engender before they realise the consequences,
How much hatred must they spew before they can learn to live with their fellow [humankind].
The answer my friend, it to live and let live, for what we do today has rippling effects to the 2nd and 3rd generations.
dominik says
Whatever results the police will arrive at, we the citizens of Malaysia already know. “No action against MACC because they did nothing wrong”.
I have never heard of a so-called “witness” being questioned/interrogated” up to 3.45am. Yet MACC will say he is not a suspect but a witness. What rubbish. All these actions by MACC and the police dept and even the judiciary seems to project an image to the general public that they are “ordered” by the BN govt.
For example: look at the “istana Toyo” case and you will know that the MACC is dragging their feet. Why was Khir T not interrogated until the wee hours in the morning? While MACC actions against opposition parties was so quick, rude and “so efficient?” Double standards at the request of their masters?
dominik says
EXTRACTS FROM ‘THE EDGE”
SHAH ALAM: Kajang Municipal Councillor Tan Boon Wah today recounted his experience during a questioning by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) a day earlier.
Klang Municipal Councillor Tan Boon Wah. Photo by Chua Sue-Ann
According to Tan, he was brought to MACC Selangor’s headquarters for questioning on Wednesday at 9pm in relation to the purchase of flags for the Seri Kembangan constituency’s Merdeka Day celebrations last year.
The anti-graft commission were probing allegations of misused funds by several Pakatan Rakyat (PR) Selangor assemblymen.
Tan said that while he was kept there overnight, his statement was only formally recorded at about 12pm, Thursday before being released at 1.35pm.
The investigating officer had alternated between courteous and aggressive tones during the questioning, Tan told reporters at a press conference here today.
“The way they questioned me, at first they were speaking in soft tones, asking me about my family and my wife, and suddenly they would ask about the receipt for the flags.
“From the way they questioned me, it was as if they were trying to force me to say there were no flags supplied,” Tan said.
Describing the experience as “mental torture”, Tan said he was placed in a bright room before being moved to a dark room prior to being questioning at 10pm.
He said he was made to stand at attention for over four hours during the questioning, and was shouted at if he flinched from position.
Tan also said he was interrogated by one MACC officer while other personnel apparently played ping-pong in an adjacent room and laughed at Tan’s testimony.
According to Tan, the officer said, “Don’t you love your wife? If you tell lies, it means you don’t love your family,” and later threatening to haul in his family.
Tan also claimed that the MACC officer had shouted at him, calling him “Cina bodoh (stupid Chinese)” and threatened to “hentam (beat)” him.
The local councillor said he had to return to the MACC next Monday (July 20) to produce the receipt for the flags amounting to RM2,400.
During questioning, Tan said he had repeatedly told the MACC officer that he needed more time to find the receipt.
When asked, Tan said he briefly saw the deceased, Teoh Beng Hock, at MACC office pantry at around dawn on Thursday.
According to Tan, Teoh was still wearing the same clothes and looked tired.
Tan said he had expressed his surprised to see Teoh “still there”, to which Teoh merely replied “Mmm…”
Teoh, a political secretary to Selangor state executive council (exco) member Ean Yong Hian Wah, was found dead near the MACC Selangor headquarters at the Plaza Masalam building in Shah Alam at 1.30pm on Thursday.
Teoh, 30, had also been questioned at the anti-graft body’s office overnight from Wednesday to Thursday.
The unexpected death has since sparked outcry from PR leaders who are demanding a full investigation into the incident.
Tan also said the MACC officer interrogating him had made him promise not to speak about his experience during questioning.
“But a life has been lost. I feel I must (speak about it),” Tan said.
Philip Selvaraj says
Let the police investigate … like we have faith in the police … hahahaha.
d evil says
There is a serious chasm between the BN govt and the rest of the population. No one accepts the words of Muhyiddin. No one trusts him. No one will accept the result of the investigation. The stupidity of MACC has decided the next election.
samseelan says
The Police will leave no stoned unturned? Transparent Investigations? Wait for the Police to complete their investigations? How comforting! Why do I get this uneasy feeling that the DPM (and all his BN cohorts, shame on them) is in fact trying to shield the MACC? Could credibility be an issue here? We are still waiting for the perpetrators of Kugan’s death to be brought to justice. How slowly the wheels of justice move for the poor, the oppressed and the opposition.
But in the case of the Selangor MB, the MACC’s Head Honcho was almost trigger-happy when he announced that there is a case against Tan Sri Khalid even before our lethargy-driven AG could respond! How’s that for speed and efficiency?
Now just try digesting this … MACC officers allowing TBH, who had just been through a grueling 11-hour interrogation, (and he was a witness, the MACC tell us; just imagine what a suspect would have to endure in their hands) to sleep in their pantry! Such caring and compassionate officers and all that the ungrateful rakyat can do is to doubt their sincerity when they say that TBH just fell to his death. Is that all that difficult to accept? I mean look at suspects in Police custody … seemingly healthy individuals just die due to natural causes when they are in the lockup. If the rakyat have swallowed this story all this while (that’s what the Police think anyway), why can’t they just believe us when we say that we have nothing to do with his death (although death occurred within our premises)?
And just remember, this is just the first death. It’s not that hundreds have died in our custody as with the Police. So why all this hue and cry?
Of course some will say that the Police and us are like adik-beradik and they may be partial in their investigations but why are you blaming us just because we have a close relationship in matters relating to death in custody. This is not America lah or even Australia (where the MACC head’s son had a brush with the law relating to some porn). This is Malaysia lah. Therefore we always do things the Malaysian way … which in essence is the silly way!
Azizi Khan says
There are two outcomes to this incident.
1. The whole thing swept under the carpet by a Malaysian style “impartial” and “transparent” investigation. When opposition parties make a request for the report in Parliament, the speaker will shoot it down. Rakyat Malaysia mudah lupa.
2. Apa nama dia, Teoh will be said to have committed suicide and the case will be marked NFA. Umno machineries are already suggesting that PR is using this murder to incite racial hatred. Rakyat Malaysia mudah lupa.
AK.
stk says
Just like asking a murderer to investigate another murderer. Any different? The police in the eyes of the public is “tak boleh harap”.