The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) today refuted allegations that its officers resorted to torture tactics when conducting investigations.

As such, it wanted the police to conduct an investigation into all reports claiming torture by MACC officers and take action against those who had made false reports.

It said in a statement that these people would have lodged the reports with the intention to tarnish the MACC's image and undermine the investigation against them.

"It has become a trend lately for those arrested to lodge a police report stating that they have been tortured, coerced to give incorrect statements, threatened and so on after they had been released on bond by the MACC," the statement said.

The statement also said that the MACC would not compromise in the matter of any of its officers acting beyond the law in conducting investigations.

Yesterday, five MACC officers, including Mohd Ashraf Mohd Yunus who was a witness at the inquest into the death of Teoh Beng Hock, lodged a report at the Shah Alam police headquarters denying allegations that MACC officers used force when questioning suspects.

This followed the testimony by a witness, T Sivanesan, introduced by Gobind Singh Deo, counsel for Teoh's family, yesterday at the inquest that he was tortured by MACC officers during interrogation.

Earlier today the Petaling Jaya High Court dismissed MACC's application for a revision of the coroner's ruling to allow Sivanesan, a victim of alleged MACC torture, as a witness in the Teoh Beng Hock inquest.

"There is nothing illegal, incorrect and improper about the coroner's ruling to allow the 20th witness to testify," ruled judicial commissioner Yeoh Wee Siam.

- Bernama