MCA minister stood by and watched while Teoh's brother-in-law was assaulted

Heng in grey

Malaysia Chronicle

The Malaysians for Beng Hock movement has revealed a photograph showing MCA deputy minister Heng Seai Kie standing by and watching while Teoh's brother-in-law Soh Cher Hai was assaulted by MCA supporters.

"This is most shocking. It shows the depth of disconnect the MCA has with the normal folk," Bukit Gantang MP Nizar Jamaluddin toldMalaysia Chronicle.

"I wouldn't say Heng was cruel but she sure looks blur and that already hangs her. As a Senator, a politician, she must first and foremost value life and public safety. Secondly, how can she not know who is Teoh Beng Hock? Is she a Chinese leader or not, I wonder?"

Instead of help from the MCA, Teoh's group got arrested

Beng Hock's sister Lee Lan and Soh had gone to Galas with the group to drum up support for a Royal Commission of Inquiry into his suspicious death after overnight interrogation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission in July 2009.

They had hoped to catch BN and Pakatan Rakyat leaders, who have been flooding the small Kelantan town where a by-election is due to be balloted on Thursday.

However, the MCA could not help in their quest as their coalition boss Umno is implicated in the MACC incident.
Teoh's family suspects the MCMC of torturing and causing his death.

The MCMC had hauled up Beng Hock, a Selangor political officer for questioning as a witness into a web of accusations believed to be sprung by Umno against the state Pakatan leaders. Umno had vowed to topple the Selangor Pakatan government through all ways and means.

At Galas, not only did the MCA refuse to help, it has been accused of lodging a police complaint against the Teoh group, culminating with Lee Lan and three other members being arrested.

The police accused them of leafleting and campaigning, neither of which are illegal, and also denied them the right to legal representation. They were released only hours later.

Heng, who is the Women, Family and Community Development deputy minister had dismissed Soh’s accusations of callousness and claimed he was blocking the way. She also ticked off the group and told them to keep the Beng Hock campaign out of the Galas by-election.

“You can see the photos,” Malaysia Insider reported Chong Kok Siong, one of the coordinators for the Malaysians for Beng Hock movement, as saying.

According to Chong, the photograph was taken by a news reporter. The incident had occurred on Saturday and Lee Lan arrested on Sunday.