Agong urged to rescind title from MACC officer linked to Beng Hock’s death

 

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong has been urged to withdraw the “Datuk Seri” title he recently awarded to a MACC officer involved in the 2009 death of Teoh Beng Hock.

In a statement today, the Teoh Beng Hock Trust for Democracy noted that Hishamuddin Hashim had received the “Seri Mahkota Wilayah” title on Feb 8.

Back in 2009, Hishamuddin had been the Selangor MACC deputy director. He was in charge of interrogating Teoh (above) before Teoh’s death.

Hishamuddin is now the senior director for investigations at the anti-corruption enforcement agency.

Given this history, trust chairperson Ng Yap Hwa said Hishamuddin did not qualify for the title.

“The trust is concerned that some irresponsible parties have confused Your Majesty. Awarding such a noble title to a suspect in the death of a citizen will jeopardise Your Majesty’s image.

“Therefore, as citizens who love the constitutional monarchy system in Malaysia, we ask that Your Majesty revoke Hishamuddin’s title,” Ng said.

“Hishamuddin is not worthy of the title. In fact, he should be sentenced to jail under Section 302 (murder) or Section 304 (culpable homicide) of the Penal Code if the rule of law was respected in this country,” he added.

Ng said he had sent the Agong a letter of the trust’s petition in light of Covid-19 concerns.

Teoh Beng Hock Trust for Democracy chairperson Ng Yap Hwa

Driven to commit suicide

Teoh was found dead on July 16, 2009, on the fifth-floor service corridor of Plaza Masalam in Shah Alam, after being questioned overnight at the Selangor MACC headquarters on the 14th floor.

At the time of his death, Teoh had been a political aide to Selangor executive councillor and DAP Seri Kembangan assemblyperson Ean Yong Hian Wah.

In 2011, a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) determined that Teoh was driven to commit suicide following aggressive questioning by the MACC.

The RCI report implicated Hishamuddin and two other MACC officers - Mohd Anuar Ismail and Mohd Ashraf Mohd Yunus - for conducting the interrogation in an aggressive and inappropriate manner.

The report further stated that the trio had pressured Teoh to make a confession in MACC’s probe into allegations that Ean Yong had filed false allocation claims to benefit his political party.

Ean Yong was eventually cleared of any wrongdoing.

After the RCI report was released, the BN government had promised that appropriate action would be taken against the three MACC officers involved.

It also wanted a review of MACC’s interrogation procedures. - Mkini