Attorney General tells of note discovered in Teoh's sling bag

IN MALAYSIA - ANY THING IS POSSIBLE

Malaysia Chronicle

Following swirling speculation that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and Attorney-General's chambers were trying to cover up the Teoh Beng Hock case, the AG has issued a press statement (full text appended below).

The AG said a note written in Mandarin was found in Teoh's sling bag in October 2009. It did not disclose the contents of the document but it is widely believed to be a suicide note.

The AG also denied it had tried to suppress vital information and gave details leading to the discovery of the note. However, its explanation raised more questions than it answered.

It also heightened speculation as to the authenticity of the note as well as the possibility that Teoh may have forced to write it before his death.

There is also talk that the decision to produce the note was to head off damaging testimony expected from Thai forensic expert Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand, who is due to testify on August 18.

She has said there is an 80 percent chance that homicide had been involved. The MACC has all the while maintained it was suicide.

Although Prime Minister Najib Razak has promised Teoh's family to allow the truth to surface, the latest developments have compounded concerns that the authorities are determined to cover up how Teoh really died.

"I do not dare imagine what other sorts of torture he went through. Let us work towards a Malaysia that is free from torture. No one should be tortured and killed, be it in the MACC office, police lock-up, jail or detention camp," Malaysiakini reported Teoh's sobbing sister Lee Lan as saying.

Read also: Speculation rife Beng Hock was forced to sign suicide note...

FULL TEXT OF PRESS STATEMENT FROM THE AG CHAMBERS:

In Teoh Beng Hock’s death inquiry today, the officers representing the Public Prosecutor in assisting the said inquiry intended to put in a note found in the deceased’s sling bag which contains an indication that may throw some light regarding his death.

However, the existence of the note was disputed on the grounds of delay in disclosure, failure to furnish a copy of the said note to the counsels representing the deceased’s family and suppression of evidence by the Attorney-General’s Chambers.

The Attorney-General Chambers vehemently denies any suppression of evidence instead was equally startled when the discovery of the note was made known and thereafter caused further investigation to be carried out.

The Attorney-General Chambers was informed of the discovery of the note by the Investigating Officer, ASP Ahmad Nazri bin Zainal on 7.10.09 some two over months after Teoh Beng Hock’s death. According to the Investigation Officer it was not found when he first searched the deceased’s sling bag after the incident.

The note was immediately translated and there was sufficient cause to send it to be analysed by a Document Examiner of the Chemistry Department. The said note was sent on 9.10.09 and subsequently on 20.10.09.

The Document Examiner prepared his reports and they were considered by the Attorney-General himself where the Attorney-General, Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail was not convinced of the authenticity of the note due to insufficient samples to verify the handwritings in particular the Chinese characters.

In addition, the note was said to be discovered some two over months after the death and that this would raise suspicion over its authenticity and discovery.

Having considered these factors, Tan Sri Abdul Gani was of the view that the note should not be tendered until and unless the Investigation Officer could provide satisfactory explanation as to its discovery.

As regards the note, the Attorney-General’s Chambers was earlier briefed by the Investigation Officer that he conducted a thorough search after being advised by the psychiatric that ordinarily there would be a note left in a suicide case.

However, recently the Investigation Officer owned up by admitting that he did in fact find the note when he searched the sling bag on 17.7.10 but did not realise the significance of it as there were other documents found and that they were written in both Chinese and Roman characters.

As a result of this the Attorney-General decided to put the note in and directed the Investigation Officer to explain this in court to avoid any repercussion in future and let the Coroner decide on its weight after considering the explanation by the Investigation Officer and the Document Examiner’s report.

Therefore, there is no suppression or withholding of evidence and that the decision for not tendering it earlier was made based on the Document Examiner’s report as well as the discovery of the note which gave rise to suspicion.

The Attorney-General’s Chambers will tender a document as evidence only and until it is satisfied that any shroud of suspicion surrounding it is lifted.

Jabatan Peguam Negara 9 August 2010