Anwar to meet Teoh Beng Hock's family on Aug 1

• UPDATED 10.52PM | Added more testimonies and statements from TBH-ADA activists.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has scheduled a meeting with the late Teoh Beng Hock’s family on Aug 1.

Beng Hock’s sister Teoh Lee Lan told the media tonight that Anwar’s political secretary Chan Ming Kai contacted her this evening to finalise the date of the meeting.

She said the meeting is expected to take place at 3pm that day but the venue has yet to be determined.

Lee Lan was speaking at a press conference outside the Brickfields police district headquarters after lodging a police report against alleged police violence.

Beng Hock died on July 16, 2009. He was a political aide to then DAP Seri Kembangan assemblyperson Ean Yong Hian Wah.

He was found dead on the fifth-floor service corridor of Plaza Masalam in Shah Alam after being questioned overnight on the 14th floor of the then Selangor MACC headquarters.

Scuffle with cops

Last weekend, activists from the Teoh Beng Hock Association for Democratic Advancement organised a three-day march to call attention to unresolved matters surrounding his death.

On the final leg of the march on Monday, they were supposed to deliver a memorandum to lawmakers meeting at Parliament including Anwar. However, a scuffle broke out with the police during the march.

Following the incident, Anwar had promised to meet the group and review their memorandum.

Besides Lee Lan, Teoh Beng Hock Association for Democratic Advancement (TBH-ADA) members Wong Voon How and Liau Pin Chun also lodged a police report.

Lee Lan and Wong arrived at the police station around 6pm, followed by Liau. All three finished filing their reports around 7pm.

Wong uploaded a video yesterday accusing the police of knocking him down. Today, he condemned the police for their violent behaviour, stating that it was an unprofessional attitude and approach.

He noted that if there had been any slight misstep, it could have injured other parts of his body, leading to unimaginable consequences.

‘Cops treated protesters like criminals’

Lee Lan believed that the conflict had traumatised her to the point where she couldn’t sleep.

She revealed that her niece, who joined the protest for the first time, was also shocked by how the police treated them.

“We asked her (niece) how she felt. She said she never expected the police to treat participants like criminals. We were just peacefully walking to the gates of Parliament, not even inside, just to submit a memorandum and we were beaten. She said she was really shocked and scared.”

Additionally, Liau revealed that the police pulled her collar from behind, even breaking her necklace, which made it impossible for her to speak and caused her to feel suffocated.

Meanwhile, after Brickfields police cancelled an appointment to record statements today, TBH-ADA chairperson Ng Yap Hwa criticised the police for disregarding the rule of law, which led to the sudden cancellation of their statement recording.

He questioned why the police, who were already aware of the entire process of the “Walk for Justice”, suddenly summoned them for an investigation.

He emphasised that they would cooperate with the investigation if necessary.

“We want to ask the police what exactly they intend to do. Please provide a transparent explanation and don’t play with us.”

Instructions from above?

TBH-ADA member Wong Yan Ke claimed a source informed him that the police cancelled their statement recording sessions based on instructions from higher authorities.

He said if the cabinet has the authority to instruct the police to cancel or investigate the “Walk for Justice”, it also has the power to order the reopening of the investigation into Beng Hock’s death.

“The cabinet ministers and the prime minister, if you can tell the police not to investigate peaceful demonstrators, then please use the same efficiency and ability to tell the police to reopen the investigation and give Beng Hock justice.”

Teoh Beng Hock activists enraged after cops cancel questioning

Raub MP submits 2 motions for urgent debate on Teoh Beng Hock issue

Cops could have handled Teoh Beng Hock march better: Fahmi

COMMENT | Walk of Justice: Foot injury bearable, but heartache hits hard

PKR Youth: Govt needs to show more empathy over Teoh Beng Hock

Teoh Beng Hock march: Brief altercation erupts between group, cops