“The death of Teoh Beng Hock was caused by multiple injuries from a fall from the 14th floor of Plaza Masalam as a result of or which 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.”
- Court of Appeal (2014)
It is official. They have gotten away with it. Whoever the Court of Appeal ruled had caused the death of Teoh Beng Hock got away with it. Mind you, they had gotten away with it for years, but now the Madani state has decreed that there would be no further action in this case.
The state security apparatus had the unmitigated gall to claim that “several witnesses were unable to be reinterviewed while others refused to come forward”.
This coming from the Royal Malaysia Police, which has had no trouble interviewing witnesses or compelling them to come forward and of course claimed that the family of Beng Hock, the victim, was uncooperative.
The attorney-general’s brief statement, unlike what the courts concluded, that “the police investigations into Beng Hock’s death did not find sufficient evidence to prove wrongdoing by any individuals”, is a rubber stamp on the narratives that the state has been pushing for 15 years and enables cretins to claim that there is no evidence, hence no crime.
As reported in the press, the family’s lawyer wondered if this investigation, which by the way in no way reflects the intent of the court, was done merely as a formality or more accurately in the minds of rational citizens a legal legerdemain to make it seem that the police was complying with the ruling of the court.
Indeed, by never investigating this crime as a murder, the state enables the narratives that this was a suicide. By never investigating this crime as a murder, the state denies the family justice by never acknowledging the crime and gives credence to cretins who delight in claiming that this was a suicide.
I often wonder how these “persons” live with themselves? Are they going about their duties to the state and carrying out whatever religious obligations as though they did nothing sinful? I wonder what they think when they read in the press how Beng Hock’s family is grimly pursuing justice for their murdered son.
Who was there that night?
For instance, when Beng Hock’s sister Lee Lan said at the 2014 verdict: “Now it is clear the court, in its final decision, says that the death is caused by unlawful acts of a person or persons, including the MACC.
“His death is not due to suicide. We want the IGP (inspector-general of police) and AG (attorney-general) to reopen investigations into this case and charge those responsible.” – I wonder if the perpetrators were worried that the state would do something?
Were they fearful when Pakatan Harapan took over with the DAP’s 40 MPs in tow, that they might finally face a reckoning? Or were they secure that they got away with homicide? Did they realise they were untouchable when it came to justice?
And that’s the problem, right? The state security apparatus obviously does not care what the courts rule. They certainly do not care about being seen as mendacious or duplicitous or even murderous, as the numerous deaths in custody demonstrate.
This is what the prime minister said when he met with the family of Beng Hock: “I have heard the grievances and several requests from the family. I have been closely following this case for a long time and deeply understand the sorrow and suffering of the family who have long been fighting for justice for the deceased.
“I affirm the government’s position that it agrees for the police to reopen the investigation into the death of the late Beng Hock.”
You have to wonder, why the police had trouble finding witnesses when the key question posed by the Court of Appeal verdict and articulated by Teoh Beng Hock Association for Democratic Advancement (TBH-ADA) chairperson Ng Yap Hwa was, “They want the police to shift their attention to the MACC officers who were present at the Selangor office on the night Beng Hock died, as these individuals are the most suspicious.”
This is not a high-tech case. Indeed, this is not even a complicated case. Successive governments have created this narrative that any investigation into the death of Beng Hock is a complex, arduous process.
In fact, why was the state security apparatus even harassing Beng Hock’s family about his state of mind when the court had already ruled that the death was caused by a person or persons unknown?
Indeed, if the police followed the ruling, all they would have to do is investigate those individuals who were there the night Beng Hock was murdered. But here is the thing. Politicians are hoping that the passage of time dulls the feelings of outrage. They want the rakyat to forget or, worse, believe that this is a communal issue.
Lee Lan lamented that we seem to be trapped in a BN-era rule and said, “The same MACC remains unaccountable. The same police force refuses to investigate the MACC. The same opaque conclusions are drawn, and the same murderers walk free.”
This, of course, is an indictment of this unity government, the brief Harapan regime, the brief Perikatan Nasional regime, but more importantly, the same political players who continue to enable the people who are responsible for Beng Hock’s death.
Death of a DAP comrade
TBH-ADA said it “believes that DAP leaders should not hide behind the excuse of cabinet collective responsibility without taking action”.
Two minor DAP MPs have made noise, but the big guns in the party are silent on the death of their comrade. Former party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, who used Beng Hock’s death as a political talking point for years, is too busy squabbling with the current chief minister of Penang. Meanwhile, the DAP’s big cheese would most probably remind everyone that cool heads prevail or some such nonsense.
And this is the most shocking part. All those MPs who in the past made use of the death of Beng Hock have not said a word. Can you imagine the message this sends to cretins like Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh and the rabid, far-right, theocratic state-in-waiting?
In fact, they would say, unlike them, the DAP does not even care about the death of their comrade, much less someone from their community. Online trolls rejoice in the fact that the non-Malays will continue supporting DAP even though their political leaders do nothing.
Gerakan is on point when it reminds everyone that DAP used this issue for years, but they are part of a virulent Malay uber alles coalition, which, in terms of outcome, amounts to the same as this coalition government.
But what is shocking and unnerving is when a sister of a slain citizen said, “Under Anwar’s ‘Madani Malaysia’ slogan, will the government stand with the officials who killed a civilian, or with the victim’s family seeking truth and justice? The people are watching closely.”
But are the people watching closely? It certainly does not seem that way. Here is a family who believes that officials within the government murdered their son, and this was confirmed by the courts. They commiserate with the prime minister of this country, and what they get is no further action.
Imagine if this were your brother, father, or loved one. Could you move on?
Of course this is about accountability and it is a two way street. We cannot really blame political parties for not holding the state accountable because we the rakyat do not hold political parties accountable.
And this is how they get away with murder. - Mkini
S THAYAPARAN is commander (Rtd) of the Royal Malaysian Navy. Fīat jūstitia ruat cælum - “Let justice be done though the heavens fall.”
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.
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