In 2020, Teoh, Koh, Kayong families hope for long-awaited justice
The year of justice. That's what the families of Teoh Beng Hock, Raymond Koh, and Bill Kayong hope 2020 will be.
The year of justice. That's what the families of Teoh Beng Hock, Raymond Koh, and Bill Kayong hope 2020 will be.
Gathered together at a forum in Kuala Lumpur last night, the families shared their frustrations at how they have been denied closure over the fate of their loved ones.
For Beng Hock's sister Lee Lan, Pakatan Harapan leaders to fulfil their promises to her family when the political aide died 11 years ago.
"We are waiting for them to fulfil their promise," she said, holding back tears as she spoke.
She was confident that even after a decade, evidence can still be found in Beng Hock's case, particularly from witnesses.
"Those MACC officers who were eyewitnesses, please come forward and record a real statement to any police or politician you are comfortable with.
"It's time for you to come forward and tell us the truth. Not just to help Beng Hock but so that you can have a good night's sleep for the rest of your life," she said.
Beng Hock was found dead on the fifth-floor corridor of Plaza Masalam in Shah Alam on July 16, 2009, after recording his statement at the former MACC office on the 14th floor of the same building.
In 2014, the Court of Appeal ruled that he died from a fall that could have been accelerated by unlawful actions of persons unknown, including by MACC officers.
In June 2018, the new Harapan government agreed to re-open the case.
Police last year began questioning MACC officers in a renewed probe.
Meanwhile, the wife of pastor Koh, Susanna Liew (below) expressed her dismay that there had been no developments into her husband's abduction, as well that of Amri Che Mat.
This, she said, was despite assurances from Home Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, and there being a task force looking into the case.
"How long more do we have to wait?" she asked, adding all that was needed for action to be taken was political will.
"We are frozen in grief due to the lack of information on his whereabouts, his current condition.
"Someone related to a victim of enforced disappearance once said, 'Because we didn't have a funeral, every day is a funeral'," Liew said.
Koh was abducted by a group of masked individuals while driving in Kelana Jaya, Selangor on Feb 13, 2017.
A video of the abduction has been circulating on the Internet.
A Suhakam report into Koh and Amri's cases concluded that the Special Branch was involved in their “enforced disappearances”.
A task force was subsequently established and was supposed to deliver its findings last year.
Liew hoped that once the report comes out, it would not dilute the findings of the Suhakam report.
Also speaking at the forum last night was Francis Mancha (below), the brother of Bill Kayong — a PKR activist who was gunned down in Miri in 2016.
Francis said the family was disappointed with how the court proceedings into the murder went, as the prosecution only reportedly called in 28 out of 40 witnesses.
This he said, meant that key witnesses did not testify, and allowed for the alleged mastermind behind the murder to escape justice.
As such, he said the family are planning to launch a civil suit over the murder.
"We want the case to be re-opened, we are not satisfied with the outcome," he said.
In Aug 2018, the High Court in Miri sentenced Mohd Fitri Pauz to death over Bill's murder.
In 2017, the court had acquitted and released three people, including businessperson Stephen Lee Chee Kiang, from charges of abetting the murder.
Meanwhile, one other unsolved death that was highlighted last night was that of Customs officer Anisah Ali in 2016.
Anisah was killed when a smuggler's van rammed the vehicle she was in from behind, causing it to skid and crash into a roadside tree.
There was one reported arrest, but no charges have been brought to court.
Her son, Afiq Luqman Mohd Baharudin, who was in the audience last night, said he also hoped that his late-mother would get the justice she deserved.
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