MACC: Officer in Beng Hock case transferred, not promoted

An Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officer implicated in the death of former political aide Teoh Beng Hock was not promoted, but transferred.

In a statement today, MACC said its former Sabah director Hishamuddin Hashim took on the job as intelligence director as a transfer.

"MACC would like to clarify that the process did not involve any promotion. The transfer was done to fill in vacancies that have existed since earlier this year," said the commission in a statement today.

As such, the commission urged all parties to stop any speculations that might confuse the public.

Yesterday, Bernama reported that Hishamuddin was promoted as MACC's new intelligence division director.

This led DAP Kulai MP Teo Nie Ching to question the move, saying the graftbuster failed to hold Hishamuddin responsible for Teoh's death.

Hishamuddin had previously been promoted to Negeri Sembilan MACC director after Teoh's death.

Teoh was found dead in July 2009 after falling nine floors from the 14th floor of the Selangor MACC headquarters where he had been held overnight for interrogation.

Hishamuddin was then Selangor MACC deputy director. He, along with two other MACC personnel, were fingered by a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) into Teoh's death.

The RCI had deduced that the trio's tactics had driven Teoh to commit suicide and described Hishamuddin as an 'arrogant leader'.

Following this, MACC suspended the three officers pending investigations. Eventually, investigators cleared Hishamuddin and the others.

In September 2014, the Court of Appeal overturned the coroner's open verdict and ruled that Teoh's death was caused by multiple injuries from a fall from the 14th floor of Plaza Masalam.

His death was a result of/or was accelerated by an unlawful act or acts of persons unknown, inclusive of the MACC officers who were involved in the arrest and investigations of the deceased, said the judges. -Mkini