Teoh family boycotts RCI

The RCI ruled that Foong need not recuse himself. — file pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 16 — The Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on Teoh Beng Hock’s death suffered a major blow to its credibility today after the family of the dead political aide withdrew from the inquiry.

The family decided to pull out from proceedings after the royal panel decided that chairman Tan Sri James Foong Cheng Yuen need not recuse himself despite being a sitting Federal Court judge.

It also decided to continue the inquiry despite a judicial review to be filed over the appointment of deputy public prosecutors (DPP) as conducting officers.

DAP chairman Karpal Singh, who is counsel for the Teohs, said the family would withdraw so as not to lend legitimacy to the commission.

The family believes that the Attorney-General is seeking to revise the coroner’s “open verdict” to one of suicide and claimed this would lead to bias by the DPPs.

The coroner’s inquest had ruled out both suicide and homicide in Teoh’s fatal July 16, 2009 plunge, after being questioned overnight by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) the day before.

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