In a surprise move, the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Teoh Beng Hock’s death allowed  his sister Lee Lan to address the commission.

After initial hesitation, the commission headed by former Federal Court judge James Foong allowed Lee Lan to speak.

NONE Stammering and fighting back tears, Lee Lan, with the help of an interpreter provided by the Bar Council, said that her family is against DPPs serving as the commission’s conducting officers.

She echoed her laywer Gobind Singh Deo's contention that the DPPs cannot act independently because the Attorney-General’s (AG) Chambers have filing for judicial review of the coroner open verdict on the cause of Beng Hock’s death.

"We want conducting officers who are independent and just... in this commission the AG has failed to appear just and fair," said Lee Lan in Mandarin. Her remarks were translated into English.

She said her family wants to see the commission acting independently and this can only be achieved by engaging independent conducting officers.

teoh beng hock royal commission first meeting 290111 james foong Foong (left) rejected her appeal to have the DPPs replaced, adding that Beng Hock’s death is of “national concern”.

“This is far bigger and (of) wider scope than just your family. It involves the entire nation.

"We know you want answers. So do we. We genuinely (do). Every citizen wants to get to the bottom of this. Me, you and Karpal,

"We do sympathise with your family (but)... at the moment we have to proceed."

"I won't restrain Karpal and Gobind from going ahead with their appeal (against the decision, but) we have to go on until we are stopped by an order.

"We find that we have nothing at the moment to doubt the impartiality of the conducting officers," he said, inviting relevant parties to provide information if a probe is required.

"(At the moment) we are unable to accede to your request. The commission has to proceed as it concerns the whole nation."

He then adjourned the proceedings to 2pm on Wednesday. 

Application to be filed

The family's lawyers said they would apply for judicial review of the decision to continue with the proceedings, even though the AG's application for revision of the coroner's finding is due to be heard on Thursday.

Karpal said the lawyers would do their best to file the application today, in the hope of getting a decision by Wednesday morning. Tomorrow is a public holiday.

NONE Earlier today, the lawyers had cast doubt on the impartiality of senior federal counsel Amarjeet Singh and deputy public prosecutors Awang Armajaya Awang Mahmud and Kwan Li Sa, who are assisting the panel.

Gobind and Karpal Singh had stressed that the conducting officers cannot act independently because ultimately they will have to return to their duties as members of the AG's Chambers.

Amarjeet, however, countered their claims .

Foong too rejected the application, saying the commission has "no reasons to doubt their impartiality".

During a brief recess at noon, Gobind had approached Lee Lan in the public gallery to explain the commission's decision.

NONE This prompted her to request for permission to address the commission personally.

Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim, who was attending his court hearing for a sodomy charge in a courtroom near where the commission is meeting, took the opportunity to have a chat with Lee Lan at the court canteen during a break ( photos above ).