Cabinet Minister Paul Low stonewalled questions on the RM600,000 settlement the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) agreed to make to the family of the late Teoh Beng Hock yesterday, in admission of its negligence.

Low, a minister in the Prime Minister's Department who oversees governance and integrity, claimed the MACC should be the one to respond as it would not be fair for him to comment on the case.

"I don't have a clue. This is a court case, right?" he told Malaysiakini , when asked if the ruling of the Kuala Lumpur High Court, which also awarded RM60,000 in costs to the family, had proved that MACC was in the wrong.

The ruling, which the family's lead counsel Gobind Singh Deo claimed as a victory, was delivered by Justice Rosnaini Saud following the government and the family reaching agreement.

Low also refused to respond to questions on how the MACC should move forward to redeem its reputation.

"I don't know. You go and ask MACC. This is not fair for me to comment," he said before cutting off the phone line.

Teoh, who was brought in as a witness by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on July 15, 2009, was found dead the following day, after falling from the 14th floor of the Selangor MACC headquarters in Shah Alam.

Teoh's family had sued the MACC and 10 of its officers as well as the government for negligence and assault while Teoh was in their custody, which resulted in his death.

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