In order to pinpoint the various hypotheses on how political secretary Teoh Beng Hock fell to his death two years ago, the royal commission of inquiry is resorting to reconstructing the fall by using computer-generated imagery (CGI).

Inquiry panel chairperson James Foong announced today that panel has approached a university to undertake a project to “scientifically animate” whether Teoh had jumped to his death or if he was pushed off from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) office on the 14th floor of Plaza Masalam on July 16, 2009.

He said British private investigator Michael Squires will be assisting University Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) personnel in the reconstruction.

“This will be done with a similar size and weight of the (deceased), rather than what was done before,” said Foong.

“They will take into consideration the wind conditions and direction (of the fall),” said Foong.

Teoh was found sprawled on the fifth floor landing of Plaza Masalam in Shah Alam on July 16, 2009 after an overnight interrogation as a witness at the Selangor MACC office on the 14th floor of the building.

Last week, the inquiry was told that the pathologists in charge of Teoh’s autopsy used a water bottle and a teddy bear to deduce Teoh’s position when he had landed.  

Foong said that the computer-generated imagery will be concordant with Teoh’s height, 174cm, and weight, 70kg, and it will take into consideration the various theories on how he fell down 32.9 metres.

Among other factors considered would be Teoh’s state of consciousness at the time of his fatal fall, which has been argued extensively.

Government pathologists Dr Khairul Azman Ibrahim and Dr Prashant Naresh Sambekar concluded that Teoh was conscious, while renowned Thai forensic expert Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand said there was a possibility he was unconscious, suggesting foul play.