The government mulls over an inquest into the death of Selangor Customs Department assistant director Ahmad Sarbani Mohamed's death before deciding on whether a royal commission of inquiry should probe the matter.

The government may set up an inquest into the death of Selangor Customs Department assistant director Ahmad Sarbani Mohamed, before any decision on a royal commission of inquiry can be considered.

NONE Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Abdul Aziz said that the police have to conclude their investigations first.

"The process in a case of sudden death usually involves the setting up of an inquest before a royal commission is formed," he said.

Federal Territory police chief Zulkifli Abdullah said today that injuries found on Ahmad Sarbani were "consistent as in the case of fall from a height".

Ahmad Sarbani, 56, was found dead at a badminton court after falling from the third floor of the Kuala Lumpur Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) office in Jalan Cochrane, Wednesday morning.

He was among 62 Customs officers arrested during a dragnet on April 1 at the customs office in North Port, Port Klang.

Dubbed Operation 3B, the operations was headed by a MACC-led task force that includes six other agencies to investigate corruption, money laundering and other offences.

An inquest, as provided for under the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) is conducted by a magistrate following an order from the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AG) or on the court’s own accord based on police findings, when the cause of death in unknown.

Starkly similar to Teoh's fatal fall

Ahmad Sarbani’s death, say critics, is starkly similar to the fatal fall of Teoh Beng Hock two years ago from then-Selangor MACC office on the 14th floor of Plaza Masalam, Shah Alam.

azlan An inquest proceeding was initiated after the police were to able to pinpoint to whether Teoh was murdered or had committed suicide.

The 18-month-long process came to an open verdict as the coroner said that Teoh did not take his life and there was inconclusive evidence to prove homicide.

The incident had marred the graft-busting agency’s credibility as they were accused of flouting procedures and washed their hands off having anything to do with Teoh’s death.

The royal commission of inquiry into Teoh’s death, which has been ongoing for the past nine weeks, was formed following public pressure.

As of now, two MACC officers have been suspended for failing to accompany Ahmad Sarbani at all times while he was at MACC.

According to MACC officials, Ahmad Sarbani had returned to the MACC building at around 8.30am on Wednesday without an appointment and requested to meet the investigating officer.

The statement of the senior Customs officer had already been recorded by the MACC.

Ahmad Sarbani’s body was later found on the badminton court at the ground level.