KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 10 — The authorities’ failure to re-investigate the death of Teoh Beng Hock despite the attorney general’s agreement invites suspicions of concealment, said lawyer Ramkarpal Singh today.
Expressing disappointment with Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Ramkarpal reminded the former that he previously said the 2009 case would be restarted.
“The failure of the minister of Home Affairs to direct the Inspector-General of Police to reopen investigations into the death of Teoh Beng Hock despite being urged to do so by the Attorney General is baffling and deeply regretted.
“The failure to instruct the IGP to act immediately raises grave suspicion of the possibility of a cover up in Teoh’s death,” Ramkarpal, the Bukit Gelugor MP, said in a statement.
He told Muhyiddin that the family of Teoh, a political aide who died while being interrogated by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission in 2009, deserves to learn the truth of his suspicious death.
Ramkarpal also disclosed that he previously petitioned Muhyiddin in October about the case, but has yet to hear back from the Pagoh MP.
“Why has Muhyiddin not instructed the IGP to reopen investigations into Teoh’s death despite the fact that the Court of Appeal itself has found evidence of foul play surrounding Teoh’s death and that the AG himself is of the view that investigations into his said death ought to be reopened?”
The lawyer concluded by telling the minister to urgently direct the police to initiate a fresh investigation into the matter, emphasising that there was no valid reason to refuse.
Teoh, 30, a DAP political aide, was found dead on July 16, 2009, outside what was the MACC’s headquarters in Shah Alam at the time and while he had been in the agency’s custody.
