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Bar Council of Malaysia (headquarters in Kuala Lumpur) showing a banner (Teoh Beng Hock in memoriam).

Teoh Beng Hock (20 April 1979 – 16 July 2009) was a Chinese Malaysian journalist and political aide to Ean Yong Hian Wah, a member of the Selangor state legislative assembly and state executive council. On 15 July 2009, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) took Teoh was initially scheduled to meet investigators regarding allegations of corruption, but before the session could take place, he was reported missing. The next morning, he was found dead on the rooftop of a building adjacent to the MACC offices, sparking confusion and speculation. The unusual circumstances prompted both Pakatan Rakyat leaders and several federal government officials to urge the establishment of a Royal Commission of inquiry to uncover the truth behind the incident.[1]

Family

Teoh was the third child of Teoh Leong Hwee (born 1953). He had an elder brother; Teoh Beng Kee (Chinese: 赵铭基) (born 1976), elder sister; Teoh Lee Jun (Chinese: 赵丽君) and a younger sister; Teoh Lee Lan (1980,Chinese: 赵丽兰). His father was a taxi driver, and his mother, Teng Shuw Hor (1953) is a housewife.

Teoh was engaged to 28-year-old teacher Soh Cher Wei after a two-year courtship, and had been planning to register his marriage with her the day following his death. A photo shoot on the same day, followed by a honeymoon and wedding reception in October had also been planned. At the time of Teoh's death, Soh was two months pregnant; she told the press she intended to keep the child.[2] National Registration Department regulations only allow a father's name to be included on the birth certificate if he is physically present at the time of birth; after this was publicised through the press, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said she would ask the NRD to look into the matter. Shahrizat also stated her ministry would assist in transferring Soh from her current school to one closer to her hometown, and look into assisting Teoh's family since he was their sole breadwinner.[3]

Prime Minister Najib Razak later met with Teoh's family to express his condolences. Najib told them he would direct the Attorney-General and relevant government departments to look into Teoh's family's wish that his child bear the Teoh surname.[4] On 15 August 2009, Soh completed the traditional Chinese marriage ceremonies, together with Teoh Lee Lan, Beng Hock's younger sister, acting as a proxy. Kerk Kim Hock, a distant uncle of Teoh and the family's acting spokesperson, told the press that completion of the marriage rites now entitled Soh to have her name engraved on Teoh's gravestone as his wife.[5]

Sequence of events

MACC officials claimed that Teoh's questioning had lasted for about 9 hours. According to the MACC also, Teoh was freed at 3.45 am—however without proper explanation, his possessions, including his mobile phone, remained in MACC custody. MACC officials also claimed that Teoh asked to stay the night at the MACC office, and was claimed to be last seen alive around 6 am. Teoh was found dead at 1.30 pm later in the day. The investigation had been into allegations that Ean Yong had paid RM2,400 for flags to be used in Merdeka Day celebrations, but not taken delivery of the flags. Teoh's colleagues who had also been questioned claimed that they were put under pressure from MACC officers, including being denied access to legal counsel and food or drink.[6] Teoh's mobile phone was still in the possession of MACC officials when he was found dead at 1.30 pm despite the MACC's claims that Teoh was released at 3.45 am. The mobile phone was later handed to the police for investigation.[7]

One of Teoh's colleagues, Tan Boon Wah, later filed suit against the MACC for false imprisonment. In the case, Tan Boon Wah v. Datuk Seri Ahmad Said Hamdan, Ketua Suruhanjaya, Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia and Others, the High Court ruled that because Tan was interrogated after normal working hours, he had been subject to false imprisonment, and ordered the MACC to pay him damages. Tan's lawyer, Karpal Singh, said that Teoh's family could also sue the MACC for damages, citing this ruling. Democratic Action Party Parliamentary leader and former Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang lamented that "Teoh Beng Hock would not have died if MACC had followed the law" and interrogated him during the day.[8]

Teoh's family and others have called the MACC's version of events into question. When the investigating officer involved briefed the MACC's advisory board, several members of the board "asked why he chose to stay back. Any detainee would have run for his life! The investigating officer replied that since Teoh wanted to stay back, he allowed it." During this briefing it also emerged that no official records of Teoh's detention or his release existed.[9] In August, a video of men in uniform assaulting a man in their custody began circulating as a supposed video of Teoh's interrogation. The Bukit Aman federal police headquarters denied the men were police personnel. The video had previously been circulated in June as a supposed example of police interrogation techniques, ruling out the possibility of it involving Teoh. A political observer attributed the video's popularity to the government's failing to provide adequate clarification about the circumstances of Teoh's interrogation: "The authorities are shedding little light about what happened to Teoh. This allows rumour mongers to spread ridiculous things."[10]

Response to death

Some lawyers have argued that the law does not authorise the MACC to hold witnesses in custody, and that since Teoh was not a suspect, he should not have been held in custody. The Malaysian Human Rights Commission (SUHAKAM) called the duration of Teoh's questioning "inhumane and cruel."[1] The president of the Bar Council, K. Ragunath, said the MACC had contravened the Federal Constitution by denying Teoh legal counsel during questioning, as well as the Lockup Rules 1953, which require all detainees to be locked up between 6.30 pm and 6.30 am to rest. Ragunath called Teoh's interrogation tantamount to torture.[11] Ean Yong's lawyer insisted that as "Teoh's movement was restricted, this amounts to an arrest," despite the MACC's insistence that Teoh was only a voluntary witness.[12] Mohamad Ramli Manan, a senior official who retired from the Anti-Corruption Agency (before it became the MACC), agreed:

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Musa Kamal, Ayu; Muzliza Mustafa; Pearl Lee; Teoh El Sen; Aizat Sharif (17 July 2009). "DEATH OF TEOH BENG HOCK: A mystery waiting to be solved". The Malay Mail. Archived from the original on 20 July 2009. Retrieved 20 July 2009.
  2. ↑ Mahmood, Mazlinda (18 July 2009). "Teoh's fiancee to keep baby". The New Straits Times. Archived from the original on 22 July 2009. Retrieved 22 July 2009.
  3. ↑ "Ministry to look into welfare of Teoh's family". The Star. 22 July 2009. Archived from the original on 23 July 2009. Retrieved 22 July 2009.
  4. ↑ "Najib meets the Teohs". The Malaysian Insider. 28 July 2009. Archived from the original on 31 July 2009. Retrieved 28 July 2009.
  5. ↑ Chong, Debra (15 August 2009). "The bride wore black". The Malaysian Insider. Archived from the original on 16 August 2009. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
  6. ↑ Yeoh, Tricia (17 July 2009). "'Who will fall prey next?'". Malaysiakini. Retrieved 20 July 2009.
  7. ↑ "Cops step up probe into Teoh's death". Malaysian Insider. 21 July 2009. Archived from the original on 22 July 2009.
  8. ↑ Chong, Debra (19 November 2009). "MACC can't quiz witnesses beyond office hours, High Court rules". The Malaysian Insider. Archived from the original on 20 November 2009. Retrieved 19 November 2009.
  9. 1 2 Ong, Andrew (1 August 2009). "'No in-out record', MACC advisor raises eyebrows". Malaysiakini. Retrieved 3 August 2009.
  10. ↑ Ong, Andrew (4 August 2009). "Assault video linked to Teoh sparks frenzy". Malaysiakini. Retrieved 4 August 2009.
  11. ↑ "Teoh 'the first political death' under Najib". Malaysiakini. 18 July 2009. Retrieved 20 July 2009.
  12. ↑ Spykerman, Neville (22 July 2009). "Ean Yong: Teoh was arrested". The Malaysian Insider. Archived from the original on 23 July 2009. Retrieved 22 July 2009.
  13. ↑ Kuek Ser, Kuang Keng (28 July 2009). "Former ACA official: Teoh held unlawfully". Malaysiakini. Retrieved 28 July 2009.
  14. ↑ Yip, Ai Tsin (31 July 2009). "Ex-ACA top gun: Stop showering criticism on MACC". Malaysiakini. Retrieved 31 July 2009.
  15. ↑ "Muhyiddin: Cabinet to consider setting up royal panel". Malaysiakini. 18 July 2009. Retrieved 20 July 2009.
  16. ↑ "Cops rule out foul play, friends rule out suicide". Malaysiakini. 17 July 2009. Retrieved 20 July 2009.
  17. ↑ Ghazali, Rahmah (22 July 2009). "'Police tried absolve MACC officers from liability'". Malaysiakini. Retrieved 22 July 2009.
  18. 1 2 "Cabinet orders suspension of MACC officers". The Malaysian Insider. 22 July 2009. Archived from the original on 23 July 2009. Retrieved 22 July 2009.
  19. ↑ "Cabinet approves royal commission". Malaysiakini. 22 July 2009. Retrieved 22 July 2009.
  20. ↑ "Pakatan wants more from royal commission". Malaysiakini. 23 July 2009. Retrieved 23 July 2009.
  21. ↑ name="pr_statement"
  22. ↑ "THE SHIT HAS HIT THE FAN". 20 August 2009. Archived from the original on 21 August 2009.
  23. ↑ "Senior MACC man denies forcing Teoh onto ledge | Malaysians for Beng Hock". Teohbenghock.org. 2 April 2011. Archived from the original on 30 August 2011.
  24. ↑ "RCI: 'Weak-willed' Teoh committed suicide". Archived from the original on 23 July 2011. Retrieved 24 July 2011.
  25. ↑ Archived 23 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  26. ↑ "freemalaysiatoday.com". Archived from the original on 8 March 2012. Retrieved 24 July 2011.
  27. ↑ Archived 23 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  28. ↑ "Najib: Don't dispute RCI report on Teoh". Archived from the original on 5 February 2012. Retrieved 24 July 2011.
  29. ↑ Chooi, Clara (24 July 2011). "Utusan defends MACC, holds DAP responsible for Teoh's death". The Malaysian Insider. Archived from the original on 15 October 2012.
  30. ↑ Teoh El Sen (23 July 2011). "Teoh's suicide: MACC suspends three officers". Free Malaysia Today.
  31. ↑ Ida Lim (5 September 2014). "Beng Hock's death not suicide, caused by 'unknown' persons and MACC, court rules". The Malay Mail.
  32. ↑ V. Anbalagan (5 September 2014). "Court of Appeal reverses open verdict ruling in Teoh Beng Hock's death". The Malaysian Insider. Archived from the original on 6 September 2014.
  33. ↑ Lim, Ida (5 September 2014). "Beng Hock's death not suicide, caused by 'unknown' persons and MACC, court rules". Malay Mail. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teoh_Beng_Hock