The Teoh Beng Hock inquest has been adjourned to Dec 9 to allow for a High Court decision to be made on the interrogation procedures of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.

The Kuala Lumpur High Court's decision is expected to be handed down on Nov 19, based on an application by Kajang Municipal Councillor Tan Boon Wah, who had claimed that he was ill-treated and questioned after office hours by the MACC.

Tan had filed his suit on July 22, naming the MACC director-general Ahmad Said Hamdan, Selangor MACC deputy-director Mohammad Hassan Zulkifli and the MACC as defendants.

He wants the court to determine if the MACC is allowed under its Act to question him at night.

He was also among the last to see Teoh alive. Previously a MACC witness had testified that Tan had allegedly quarrelled with Teoh in a MACC washroom on the night of July 16.

azlan Later in the same day, Teoh's body was found on the fifth floor of Plaza Masalam. Both Teoh and Tan were being interviewed separately by the MACC at its office of the 14th floor of the building.

Tan was supposed to take the stand today in the inquest but his lawyer Karpal Singh sought for the adjournment, stating that the outcome of the court decision could also bind the inquest.

"This witness' statement ought to be taken after the Nov 19 decision as the High Court may make a finding which may be binding to the running of this inquest.

"The coroner's court may not want to find itself in this awkward position and it should wait until after Thursday.," the senior lawyer said.

With the other parties not objecting, coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas agreed to adjourn the session to Dec 9 and 17 for Tan to testify.

Sivanesan identified Ashraf

Meanwhile, witness T Sivanesan, an assistant manager of a stockpiling company, on re-examination by his counsel Gobind Singh Deo told that he could identify MACC officer Mohd Ashraf Mohd Yunus as the person who had allegedly assaulted him during interrogation.

Sivanesan said he recognised Mohd Ashraf from a photograph taken in the Sinar Harian newspaper on Aug 29, a day after the MACC officer had testified.

"I could remember it was him as I had met him twice, once during the interrogation and once during my bail application," he told the court.

The copy of the page was tendered as evidence. Sivanesan had previously testified that he was a victim of MACC torture when he was questioned on Sept 4 last year.

British pathologist to observe for MACC

NONE On another matter, the inquest was also informed that Prof Dr Peter Vanezis, a forensic medical science professor from the Cameron Centre for Forensic Medical Sciences in the UK, will observe the new post-mortem on Teoh on behalf of the MACC.

He will be with Thai expert Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand who will be representing the Selangor government in observing the post-mortem.

According to MACC head of prosecution Abdul Razak Musa, Vanezis will be here for three days and will be present for the post-mortem on Nov 22. Exhumation of Teoh's body will be done on Nov 21.

Venezis began his career in forensic medicine since 1974 and has conducted more than 2,000 suspicious death autopsies, of which approximately 1,500 were homicides. He has also carried out about 800 examinations on behalf of the defence and has carried autopsies abroad.

He also continues to have a professional interest as a forensic medical expert in the investigation of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales.