Teoh family reminds MACC chief of his promise

Dressing up as ‘guards of the underworld’ (hei bai wu chang), the Teoh family today reminded Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief Abu Kassim Mohamed’s promise over the death of the family's youngest son, Teoh Beng Hock.

"On the first anniversary of Teoh's death, Abu Kassim told us that he understood the pain of losing a son and he promised us the truth behind my brother’s death," said Teoh's sister, Teoh Lee Lan.

If Abu Kassim is still unable to provide closure to the family three years after Teoh's death, she said he should resign.

Lee Lan added that her family is seeking an “open dialogue” with Abu Kassim on the matter.

Beng Hock was found dead on July 16, 2009 on the fifth floor landing of Plaza Masalam in Shah Alam, believed to have fallen from the building’s 14th floor where Selangor MACC headquarters was located.

Earlier, Lee Lan, clad in a conned hat and black mask with joss paper hanging over her neck, led a silent procession to the new Selangor MACC headquarters in Shah Alam.

Despite the heavy downpour, some 20 supporters clad in similar costumes had gathered in the evening opposite Selangor MACC, now housed at Wisma Selangor Agricultural Development Corporation (PKPS).

The costumes represent the two spirits in Chinese culture - the Chinese version of Grim Reaper - one black and another white, who are in charge of bringing souls to the underworld.

Wielding placards which read "We still remember", they marched along Persiaran Perbandaran for some 300 metres after the rain subsided.

Speaking outside Wisma PKPS later, a tearful Lee Lan said if the dead could not get justice in this world, she hoped that the spirits would provide Beng Hock justice.

No action against MACC trio

The procession today was in reaction to de facto law minister Nazri Abdul Aziz's parliamentary written reply stating that the three MACC officers implicated by the royal commission of inquiry into Beng Hock's death had been cleared of wrongdoing.

The five-member RCI led by Federal Court judge Steve Shim found the aggressive interrogation tactics by the three MACC officers had contributed to Teoh's “suicide”.

The trio are then-Selangor MACC deputy director Hishammuddin Hashim, assistant enforcement officer Arman Alies and assistant superintendent Mohd Ashraf Mohd Yunus.

"The RCI had said the three officers had taken inappropriate action when questioning my brother, the police should proceed to investigate them for murder," said an emotional Lee Lan.

The clearing of the officers, she said, showed that the government had no intention of taking responsibility for her brother's death or to provide the family closure to their tragic loss.

She added that other MACC officers who had lied during the RCI should also be hauled up for giving false statements and fabricating evidence.

"If they are really innocent, why should they lie?" she asked.

Mother: Nazri’s statement irresponsible

A red-eyed Lee Lan later said she hoped the family's determination to press on to find out how Beng Hock died would eventually give them the closure they need.

Meanwhile, her mother, Teng Shuw Hor ( far left ), who appeared composed, described Nazri's statement as “irresponsible”.

"Why was no action taken against the three officers? Instead, they were given promotion."

The group later held a brief candlelight vigil outside the Selangor MACC headquarters before dispersing.

Beng Hock was one of two ‘death in custody’ cases involving MACC, with customs officer Ahmad Sarbaini also found dead at the bottom of the Kuala Lumpur MACC headquarters in April last year.