Beng Hock’s family still has no trust in cops

Outside experts are needed for the new probe into his death, says his sister.

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Teoh Lee Lan says her family was hoping to meet the attorney-general to express their hope for transparency and independence in the new investigation.

KUALA LUMPUR: The family of the late Teoh Beng Hock is hoping that the new criminal investigation into his death will have the participation of experts from outside the Malaysian police force.

Teoh’s sister, Lee Lan, told FMT her family feared that police investigators would not be thorough or committed enough to find out the truth.

Referring to a police announcement that the case would be reopened at the instruction of the attorney-general, she noted that it would be the third such investigation.

Beng Hock’s body was found on July 16, 2009, on the roof of a building adjacent to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) offices in Shah Alam. On the day before, the MACC had summoned him for interrogation as part of its investigation into alleged abuse of state funds. He was an aide to DAP politician Ean Yong Hian Wah, who was then a Selangor state executive councillor.

Apart from the two police investigations into the death, there have been inquest proceedings as well as an inquiry by a royal commission.

“And yet the perpetrators are still out there,” said Lee Lan.

“I really have no confidence in the police even though we have a new government. We still have the same team of police officers and the same team of MACC officers. Only the chiefs are different.

“We hope the government will ensure that more professionals are involved in the investigations. If they cannot find someone suitable here, they can look for professional consultants outside the country. They can engage foreign experts.”

She said her family was also pushing for the involvement of human rights organisations, specifically Suaram (Suara Rakyat Malaysia) and Suhakam ( Human Rights Commission of Malaysia).

“Hopefully, with their involvement, we can have an investigation that can be trusted.”

Lee Lan said her family was hoping to meet the attorney-general to express their hope for transparency and independence in the new investigation.

She also said she had always suspected that previous investigators found enough evidence to initiate a murder charge. “From my understanding, the government knew who the killer was. Police had evidence to charge someone, but didn’t do it.”

She said she didn’t believe police would have found the case difficult to solve because no one unconnected with the case the MACC was investigating was allowed inside its offices when Beng Hock was being interrogated.

“Even Beng Hock’s lawyer was not permitted,” she added. “I don’t think it is difficult to find the person responsible for his death. There were only a few people with him that night.”

She also spoke of a second post-mortem on Beng Hock’s body, saying it yielded enough evidence to show he didn’t commit suicide.

“Even the local pathology expert agreed that the injuries found on his neck could have caused a person to become unconscious. This was a pre-fall injury, and it was a very good finding.”

On Jan 5, 2011, a coroner’s court gave an open verdict on Beng Hock’s death, ruling that it was neither suicide nor homicide.

However, in a judgment in September 2014, the Court of Appeal rejected the coroner’s verdict and ordered a reinvestigation. It said, “There were parties responsible for Beng Hock’s death.”

Lee Lan said her family would not feel safe until “the mastermind” of her brother’s death was found.

“How would you feel, knowing that no one was charged for his murder and that the culprits are still out there or are still part of the MACC?

“The past few years have not been easy. My mother still worries every day. She has had nightmares. In the first year after the incident, she would always call me to ask where I was, worried that I could end up like Beng Hock, disappearing and dying without the family knowing.” -FMT