Teoh RCI: MACC suspends trio for internal probe: Another whitewash?

In a bid to quell red-hot public anger over an unfair Royal Commission of Inquiry finding, the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission has announced the suspension of three officers widely perceived to have caused the death of the Selangor political aide.

But lest anyone get over-excited that finally, the unfortunate Teoh Beng Hock may taste some justice, the MACC suspension is merely to facilitate an internal probe. The MACC was vague as to what the probe would focus on but lawyers believe it will only touch on the breach of house rules and interrogation regulations rather than the cause of death, since the RCI has already recommended a verdict of death by suicide.

Meanwhile, the Bar Council is the latest to slam the RCI for its unfounded verdict, demanding that the Government of Malaysia and the MACC apologize to Teoh's family and to pay compensation for his death.

"It is very clear to the Malaysian Bar that full responsibility for Teoh Beng Hock’s death lies squarely and solely on the MACC, and that immediate action must be taken to hold the culpable officers accountable for their behaviour," Bar Council presedent Lim Chee Wee said in a statement..

"The Malaysian Bar also calls on the Government of Malaysia and MACC to consider offering an unqualified written apology to Teoh Beng Hock’s family, and to the citizens of Malaysia, for his death; and making reasonable recompense to Teoh Beng Hock’s family in respect of his death. The Malaysian Bar extends its heartfelt sympathy once again to Teoh Beng Hock’s family and loved ones."

The trio

The three MACC recalcitrants are - Negeri Sembilan MACC director Hishamuddin Hashim, the Selangor MACC deputy director during the incident, and two of his enforcement officers Mohd Anuar Ismail and Mohd Ashraf Mohd Yunus - were named by the RCI report for their involvement in interrogating Teoh.

The anti-graft body has formed a special investigation team led by MACC deputy chief commissioner Zakaria Jaffar (management and professionalism) to carry out an internal probe on the allegations made by the report against the three.

"Pending the outcome of investigation, all three relevant officers have been suspended or excluded from any investigation operation tasks," said MACC in a statement issued today.

It said that the team will prepare a comprehensive report to be submitted to its complaints committee comprising four independent individuals.

The committee is led by former appeal court judge Mohd Noor Abdullah.

The three other members are former prime minister's department deputy chief secretary Muhammad Mohd Noor, former public complaints bureau director-general Wan Abdul Wahab Abdullah and lawyer V Ravindran.

However, the statement did not mention any deadline for the probe.

It also did not name the three officers but a check with the MACC public relations officer confirmed their identities.

Strong words but will the MACC live up to it

The anti-graft body pledged that it will not protect any officer who had either violated laws or taken any action deemed illegal.

"We would like to stress that this commission will not tolerate or protect any officer who is found committing any criminal or disciplinary offence."

It also promised to give full cooperation to the police for an independent and transparent investigation.

The RCI report alleged the trio had carried out the fourth round of intensive interrogation, which was described as the "final straw that broke the camel's back", leading to Teoh's suicide.

Paragraph 198 of the RCI report reads: "The acts committed by these three persons, namely Hishamuddin, Anuar, and Ashraf, were most probably in the form of another round of intensive interrogation of Teoh to coerce him into making a statement that it was Ean Yong Hian Wah who directed him to commit unlawful acts in handling the allocation.

"This session must have been very taxing on Teoh, both physically and mentally. He had been deprived of sleep throughout the night and into the morning and had to endure persistent, aggressive and unscrupulous questioning."

The Opposition has been pressuring the Attorney-general as well as the MACC to take action against the trio.

Both the MACC and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Aziz had pledged that appropriate action would be taken against the officers involved, and on the findings and recommendations of the commission.

In today's statement, MACC said it has and is implementing several recommendations of the RCI report, including the installation of CCTV, setting up a video interview room (VIR), placing all visitors of MACC at the ground floor who will be accompanied at all times.

"Other recommendations will be studied and appropriate action taken for improvement." - ENDS