Selangor Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) deputy director Hishamuddin Hashim today claimed that his meeting in Putrajaya was "more important" which was why he did not immediately return to his office to deal with Teoh Beng Hock's death.

At the inquest today, Hishamuddin said he was having a meeting with officers at the MACC national headquarters when Teoh was found dead at 2pm on July 16 on the fifth floor balcony of Plaza Masalam in Shah Alam where the Selangor MACC is located.

According to Hishamuddin, he was informed of the news by the commission's investigating officer Mohd Annuar Ismail by telephone.

When grilled by Gobind Singh, who is holding a watching brief for Teoh's family, Hishamuddin stated that he was unable to go back his office due to the Putrajaya meeting.

Gobind: Isn't Mr Teoh's death more important than the meeting?

Hishamuddin: I didn't mean it is not important.

Gobind: I suggest that for you, the meeting in Putrajaya is more important that the death of a witness?

Hishamuddin: Yes.

He told Annuar not to lodge report

Meanwhile, Hishamuddin also admited that he instructed Annuar not to lodge a police report on the day Teoh's body was discovered.

He explained that Teoh was not under the "control" of MACC during the time of his death, so there was no need for the commission to lodge a police report.

azlan "It happened outside the Selangor MACC office and we don't know how it actually happened.

"We had asked Teoh to go back after his statement was recorded, so it (the death) did not happen when he was under our 'control'," he told the inquest.

Hishamuddin said Annuar informed him that MACC personnel were not the first to discover the body as there were many people at the scene.

Furthermore, the MACC deputy director added that he and Annuar had to discuss the matter with their superiors before lodging a police report.

Hishamuddin, who left the office at 6am that day, also claimed that he never met Teoh at the MACC office on the 14th floor of Plaza Masalam although Teoh was brought there for questioning.

He also asserted that none of his officers had used force against Teoh during the interrogation.

The MACC state deputy director also revealed that he did not conduct an internal investigation into the incident despite the case being widely reported and the commission was accused of being responsible for Teoh's death.

'Mystery letter'

Hishamuddin was previously implicated in a "mystery letter" alleging that he had a role in Teoh's death. However, the police cleared him of wrongdoing following an investigation.

The MACC officer denied that the reason there was no internal investigation into the incident was because he knew an MACC officer had allegedly caused Teoh's death.

Hishamuddin also confirmed that while Teoh was not under MACC's custody, the political aide could not leave its premises without consent.

He also denied that he was with two other officers at the MACC office at 5.45am on the day of Teoh's death as testified by MACC officer Raymond Nion John Timban.

After his testimony, the MACC senior officer eluded a team of press photographers who were waiting to take shots of him.

Selangor MACC investigation chief Hairul Ilham Hamzah was also called by coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas to testify this afternoon.

He revealed that Teoh's monthly net income for both 2008 and 2009 were RM1,865.85 and RM2,167.85 respectively, and his two bank accounts showed balances of RM2,569.37 and RM1,042.06.

Teoh, 30, political aide to Selangor state executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah, was found dead after he had been questioned as a witness by officers of the MACC.

He was being investigated into alleged abuse of Selangor government allocations.