The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has gathered some adverse views from its own 42-member Advisory Panel following the death of DAP political aide Teoh Beng Hock.

The views were sought by email in recent days by the secretariat from 33 members of its Advisory Panel in the wake of at least six media statements made by panel members Ramon Navaratnam and Robert Phang.

The MACC felt that their views were not supportive of the establishment of the anti-corruption body and wanted to know the views of other panel members on the issue.

It is learnt that not everyone has responded so far, and of the handful who did, not even one panel member has been critical of Navaratnam or Phang.

police abuse suhakam pc 050808 simon sipaun Panel member Simon Sipaun, one of those who responded, did not see anything wrong with the media statements of the "errant duo" which were not supportive of MACC.

He felt that the duo were generally supportive of the MACC and its stated objectives despite having deep misgivings on the road travelled so far.

"They were merely expressing their human response to the tragic incident. A young life had been needlessly lost. The victim could have been yourself, son, brother, relative or friend. How would you have felt?" asked Sipaun in his reply to the secretariat.

"He was only a witness and not a suspect and yet he was questioned from 5pm on a certain day to 3.45am on another day, according to newspaper reports."

Sipaun added that even if MACC had the power, it did not convey the impression that it was wisely used.

"I understand that under the lock-up rules, even a detainee must be returned to his cell by 7pm and questioning can only be resumed on the following day," noted Sipaun, who is also the vice-chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam).

'Six offending articles'

The email from the secretariat to Sipaun and other panel members, made reference to several media statements made by Ramon and Phang on Teoh's death. Copies of six "offending articles" were attached.

"We at MACC would like to seek your opinion on comments made by both Tan Sri (Ramon and Phang) and which are seen as not fully supportive towards the establishment of the MACC. Hoping to hear from you soon," read the email in English.

Sipaun himself has been quoted by various media as saying that he was unhappy over Teoh's death and expressed "no surprise" if some members of the Advisory Panel quit in protest.

Sipaun had clarified that he was speaking as a member of Suhakam and not in his capacity as a member of the MACC Advisory Panel.

Panel members were told at their first meeting, according to Sipaun, that they are barred from making media statements on the MACC.

NONE Yong Poh Kon of Royal Selangor Pewter was another panel member who was equally critical in his response to MACC. He was away in Europe when he received the email from the secretariat.

Like Sipaun, he did not think that the media statements by Ramon and Phang indicated a lack of their support for the MACC.

Yong began by stressing that both MACC and its various oversight committees had the same overall goal of reducing corruption in the country but detected "a divergence in opinion on how it is to be achieved."

"We must get the support and confidence of the public to do this (combat corruption)," responded Yong. "In Hong Kong, I believe that 97 percent of the population has confidence in the IACC (Hong Kong anti-corruption body). The same cannot be said of the ACA (Anti Corruption Agency) and now the MACC."

Yong noted that the Advisory Panel has a role to offer views to ensure that most MACC priorities are correct, the methods fair and that overall it gains the confidence of the public.

He went on to add that "to achieve this would need work by all members and an attitudinal and culture change in the MACC itself".