Disappointed with the government's failure to consult with them and consider their input for the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into Teoh Beng Hock's death in custody, the family is now seeking permission to attend the second meeting of the RCI so that the panellists can hear their concerns.

They wrote to commission secretary Saripuddin Kasim yesterday, asking that the commission allows family members and their counsel, Gobind Singh Deo, to sit in the meeting scheduled to be held in a Jalan Duta courtroom tomorrow.

teoh beng hock group meets lim guan eng 080111 teoh lee lan "Saripuddin's secretary said he is abroad. The family hopes the commission secretariat will reply to our written application as time is running out," Teoh's sister Lee Lan ( right ) said in a statement today.

"We hope the royal commission can emulate the High Court, giving the family and our counsel the right to know about Beng Hock's death, or a channel for us to participate and express our views.

"This can comfort us against the nightmare brought by the previous inquest, and strengthen public confidence in the royal commission," she said.

Lee Lan said the RCI, which was formed on Jan 26 to look into the cause of Teoh's death, should be conducted in a fair, professional and transparent manner.

She expressed disappointment that the government was silent on the family's demand to include another four individuals recommended by civil society in the current seven-member panel.

RCI to get reports on MACC procedures

"Nevertheless, the family and our counsel will turn up at the second meeting on Feb 9 (tomorrow). We hope the royal commission will allow us to join the meeting, based on the principles of professionalism, justice and transparency," Lee Lan added.

azlan The RCI at its meeting tomorrow is expected to receive reports from the conducting officers on the investigating procedures of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and other similar agencies overseas for the purposes of comparison.

Besides investigating the cause of Teoh's death, the royal commission is also tasked to probe whether the MACC followed proper procedures when questioning Teoh, who was found dead on the fifth floor landing of Plaza Masalam in Shah Alam on July 16, 2009, a day after he was interrogated by the Selangor MACC on the 14th floor of the building.

Led by federal court judge James Foong, the royal commission is expected to wrap up its inquest and present its report to the Yang diPertuan Agong by April 25 at the latest. They will conduct the inquiry from Monday to Friday every week from Feb 14.