DAP questions how MACC officer involved in Teoh Beng Hock’s death was promoted

Family and friends at Teoh Beng Hock's grave. DAP today questioned MACC on the promotion of an officer who was involved in Teoh's death. – The Malaysian Insider filepic, March 9, 2015.

DAP today questioned the promotion of a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officer as its Sabah chief some six months after the Court of Appeal ruled that he was involved in the death of Teoh Beng Hock in 2009.

Party assistant national publicity secretary Teo Nie Ching said it has been six months since the Court of Appeal ruled that Teoh's death was due to multiple injuries from a fall from the 14th floor of Plaza Mazalam in Shah Alam, Selangor.

The fall, judges Datuk Mohamad Arif Md Yusof, Datuk Mah Weng Kwai and Datuk Hamid Sultan Abu Backer ruled, was a result of an unlawful act or acts of person unknown, inclusive of MACC officers involved in Teoh's arrest and investigation.

"In his judgment, Arif instructed the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to commence investigations while the Attorney-General frame the charges deemed fit for the case.

"Six months have lapsed. The IGP should now answer what police have done to identify and charge the MACC officers who should be held responsible for the death of Teoh Beng Hock?" Teo, who is Kulai MP, said in a statement today.

Teoh, a former journalist and DAP political aide, was found sprawled on the fifth floor landing of Plaza Masalam where the Selangor MACC headquarters was formerly located, on July 16, 2009.

The incident happened after he gave his statement at commission's office that was located on the 14th floor of the same building.

Teo said it was sad that nobody has been charged with the crime, and questioned how a senior MACC officer involved in the case was promoted.

She said one of the MACC officers who last interrogated Teoh, Hishamuddin Hashim, has been promoted to Sabah MACC director.

Questioning how Hishamuddin could be deemed fit to be promoted to head a state MACC office, she said: "Minister in the Primes Minister's Department in charge of governance and integrity Datuk Paul Low and MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed owe us an explanation."

Teo said the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into Teoh's death had revealed that Hishamuddin, who was formerly deputy director of Selangor MACC; investigation officer Arman Alies and assistant investigating officer Mohd Ashraf Mohd Yunus had used excessive violence on Teoh.

She also said Commissioner Datuk T. Selventhiranathan had said on April 20, 2011, that the RCI into Teoh's death showed that Hishamuddin had lied when he earlier claimed ignorance of police reports against his officers, which accused them of physical abuse.

RCI found that Hishamuddin had ordered MACC assistant Supt Azeem Hafeez Jamaluddin to testify that another officer had led the probe to cover up the former's role in the investigation against Selangor executive councillor, Ean Yong Hian Wah, who was Teoh's boss.

- TMI