An application to cite Nazri Abdul Aziz for contempt of court was filed by senior counsel Karpal Singh today over the minister branding an internationally-respected foreign pathologist a ‘liar’.

The application was made under item 26 of the Subordinate Courts Act 1948 in relation to the minister's statement to Malaysiakini on April 11 regarding evidence given by Thai pathologist Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand during the Teoh Beng Hock inquest.

mohd nazri abdul aziz interview 220206 piognant Nazri, who is minister in the Prime Minister's Department, was quoted to have said: "She is a liar. She lied in the inquest."

The motion to cite the minister ( left ) for contempt was supported by an affidavit in support filed by Teoh Meng Kee, who is Beng Hock's brother.

Meng Kee's supporting affidavit said Nazri's statement in Malaysiakini relates to evidence given by Dr Pornthip.

"As the Thai pathologist has given evidence and is due to be recalled to give further evidence, apart from accusing her of perjury, which amount to a serious criminal offence, is a blatant prejudgment of an issue to be decided by the Coroner and no one else."

"Therefore, the statement has a tendency to interfere with the administration of justice and amounts to serious contempt of the court which Nazri should be committed to prison," Meng Kee said in the document.

The brother and his father were present in the filing.

Karpal is a lawyer representing Teoh's family.

The application to get leave to get an order to cite the minister will be heard at the Coroner's Court next Tuesday.

Speaking to reporters, Karpal said it was high time that Nazri be cited for contempt as he had disrupted the legal proceedings of the on-going inquest.

"This can be seen as an attempt by the executive to exert pressure on the on-going proceedings," he said.

 "He (Nazri) is making a statement on a witness in the process of continuing her statement.

"He is giving a picture that Pornthip had committed perjury which is in itself a serious offence.

"It is to commit Nazri with contempt and let the coroner decide and hear the application," he said, adding  that there is still time for Nazri to apologise.

Nazri had labelled Pornthip a liar after she claimed to have come under 'political pressure' from Malaysia to end her involvement in the inquest.

He was responding to Pornthip's allegations in a Malaysiakini exclusive that she had been given ‘signals’ and ‘political pressure’ to cease her involvement in the ongoing investigation into the death of the young DAP political secretary.

Southern Thailand link

According to the doctor, Thai government officials had discreetly relayed to her the 'message' from the Malaysian government officials.

NONE She claimed to have been prevented from entering Kelantan on official business through the Thai-Malaysian border in January this year, saying that this was one of the 'signals' of pressure being applied upon her.

Despite being reluctant to do so, Pornthip had decided not to testify because of the pressure being put upon her.

Forced to choose between her work in investigating the deaths in southern Thailand or the Teoh Beng Hock inquest.

Nazri, however, had scoffed at Pornthip's ( right ) claims, and said her problems with investigations in southern Thailand had nothing to do with the Malaysian government.

"It has nothing to do with her fear of not getting our cooperation in investigating her forensic cases in southern Thailand.

"I think it is a personal problem, it is a problem in Thailand.

"If she is unable to perform her investigation there, it is problem with the Thai government, not us," said Nazri

Questioned overnight

During the inquest last October, Pornthip had made startling comments on the possible cause of Teoh's death, suggesting that he could have been strangled.

azlan His body was found on July 16 at the fifth floor verandah of Plaza Masalam in Shah Alam, Selangor, after he had been questioned overnight by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission as a witness in a graft complaint.

Teoh was the political aide to Selangor executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah, who is being investigated in relation to alleged irregularities in the disbursement of state funds.