Done talking, please act, Beng Hock’s family pleas

A decade after the death of political aide Teoh Beng Hock, Teoh’s family only expressed a sentence, a plea as their funeral oration during the 10th Anniversary Memorial Service for Beng Hock.

“Done talking, we beg for action,” said Beng Hock's sister Teoh Lee Lan who broke down in tears at the Nirvana Memorial Park Semenyih this morning.

Almost 200 people attended the memorial service which is held by DAP annually.

DAP Secretary General Lim Guan Eng, veteran leader Lim Kit Siang, Chairman Tan Kok Wai, Deputy Chairman Gobind Singh Deo, International Secretary Teo Nie Ching, Political Education Director Liew Chin Tong were among the national leaders who attended the memorial service.

During his speech, Lim Guan Eng (below, left) promised that DAP will never give up looking for the truth.

“I reassure, DAP will stand together with Teoh’s family forever, to find out the truth.

“We will not let go the murderer, we will not give up on Beng Hock too,” Lim reiterated.

Four demands from Teoh’s family

During the press conference, Lee Lan urged the government to take action on finding the truth of her brother’s death by addressing four demands.

“These ten years, we have heard enough of words. We want action now.

“In the past year, we have seen the government has no follow-up on the task of the police and Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC), making no progress on the case,” said Lee Lan.

Therefore, she made four demands to the government:

First, set up a special task force, which will include a few MPs, assemblypersons and Bar Council members concerned about the Beng Hock case, to keep track on the progress of investigation.

Second, investigate the death of Beng Hock under Section 302 and 304 of the Penal Code.

Third, investigate and charge the five MACC officers who had given false testimonies, according to the Royal Commission of Inquiry.

Fourth, government must promise to find out the truth of Beng Hock’s death.

Pursue via internal channel

However, according to Lim Kit Siang, DAP could not "articulate the way we articulated before”.

"We will continue to pursue this case, but DAP now has a different role. We are part of the government and therefore, we cannot articulate the way we articulated before.

“But we continue to pursue by internal channel so that our views, intentions are communicated to the proper authorities,” said Kit Siang.

He also declined to comment further when asked what internal channel the DAP will go through.

“Our lawyers and cabinet ministers are taking the matter and they will explain to you what they have done,” the veteran leader said.

Meet IGP in two weeks

Meanwhile, Teoh’s family lawyer Ramkarpal Singh (below) revealed that they are seeking an appointment with Inspector-General of Police Hamid Bador to discuss the investigation of Beng Hock’s death.

According to Ramkarpal, the meeting is expected to held in the coming two weeks, and Attorney-General Tommy Thomas will also meet Hamid Bador next Tuesday on the same matter.

Ramkarpal had reaffirmed that it is very important to classify the case under a serious offence such as homicide.

"I agree this must be classified under homicide so that an investigation will be made or done for homicide. If you ask me to investigate a case for wrongful confinement, i’m going to check if it was wrongful confinement. I will not check whether it is murder.

“Therefore, it is important that police must given a term of reference... when you tell them to investigate a light offence like wrongful confinement, that is all they are going to do.

“That’s what we talked with the AG on last Friday. I think he also agreed and he said he will contact the IGP on Tuesday and classify it as a more serious offence,” he added.

Beng Hock was last seen alive on July 1, 2009, when he entered the Selangor MACC headquarters for questioning, and was kept overnight.

He was found dead on the fifth-floor landing the next morning and was speculated to have plunged to his death.

Ten years later, no one has been held accountable for his death.

While investigations were reopened last year, Thomas said two days ago that there was insufficient evidence to warrant a culpable homicide investigation. - Mkini