The Attorney-General’s Chambers and the police will take follow up action following the apex court's decision overturning the open verdict in the death of Teoh Beng Hock, says Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Paul Low.

"We respect the court's decision, and the matter is now in the hands of the AG’s Chambers and police," Low ( right ) said when contacted by Malaysiakini .

“The case is now being evaluated by the two authorities,” he said.

The minister, who oversees integrity, good governance and human rights in the Najib Abdul Razak administration, said the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) would cooperate with the relevant authorities.

"No, I don’t want to say," Low replied when asked if the government still insisted that MACC was cleared of Teoh's case following the Court of Appeal's decision .

The minister said MACC would issue its response to the court decision in a statement.

Police may classify case as murder

In an immediate response, Bukit Aman Federal CID chief Mohmad Salleh said police would re-open its investigations into Teoh’s sudden death case.

He said a special team will be formed headed by his deputy Amar Singh to recall the witnesses immediately.

“We will look at it and the team will study the matter in detail. Hence, if there is clear evidence we would reclassify the case under Section 302 for murder,” Mohmad said after attending a handover ceremony that was witnessed by the deputy inspector-general of police Bakri Zinin.

Mohmad said the police will determine if there are person or persons who are responsible for Teoh’s fall and call the necessary witnesses.

The MACC in a statement today said it accepted the decision by the Court of Appeal and would leave it to the police to conduct its investigations.

“We will also await the attorney-general to make the final decision on whether to charge (any of our officers) involved in this.

“The MACC will give its full cooperation and hopes that action is taken to ensure a finality in the matter,” the MACC said.

In its unanimous decision today, the Court of Appeal in Putrajaya overturned the coroner's open verdict following the inquest into the death of the DAP political aide.

The court ruled that, “The death of Teoh Beng Hock was caused by multiple injuries from a fall from the 14th floor of Plaza Masalam,    which was the result of unlawful act or acts of persons unknown, inclusive of the MACC officers who were involved in the arrest and investigation of the deceased.”

 

The former political secretary fell to his death after being taken to the Selangor MACC headquarters to assist in the investigation of constituency development funds on July 16,2009.

The coroner’s court delivered an open verdict while the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) ruled that Teoh was forced to commit suicide.

As a result, the MACC officers involved in the investigation were cleared of criminal and disciplinary wrongdoing.

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