Beng Hock's family: No payout can replace justice for his death

Summary

• Teoh Beng Hock’s family rejects the MACC’s apology and offer of compensation, insisting they want justice for his death, not money.

• To highlight the absurdity of MACC’s “compensation logic,” they sarcastically propose a counter-offer: hand over the lives of five MACC officers implicated in the case, and they will crowdfund compensation for the officers’ families.

• The family reiterates that no payout can replace the truth about who was responsible for Beng Hock’s death under MACC custody in 2009.

Teoh Beng Hock’s family has rejected the MACC’s apology and its offer of a financial contribution, insisting that they want justice for the former political aide’s death, not money.

Beng Hock’s sister, Teoh Lee Lan, said the family is extremely saddened and outraged over MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki’s statement today, which she deemed “insincere”.

“(Azam’s statement) is intentionally meant to embarrass our family (to make it seem as if) we only want money, when in reality, what we want is the truth and justice. We want to know what actually happened and who killed Beng Hock.

“This is a murder case - you cannot use an offer of compensation to settle this case. What we want cannot be achieved with compensation money or an insincere apology,” Lee Lan told a press conference earlier tonight.

To highlight the absurdity of Azam’s offer, Lee Lan suggested a counter-offer: hand over the lives of the five officers implicated in Beng Hock’s death, and the family will organise a crowdfunding campaign for their relatives.

“If Azam or anyone feels that lives can be bought with money, let’s play the same scenario,” she said.

She sarcastically added that apologies will also be made to the families of the relevant officers for their suffering.

Earlier today, on the 16th anniversary of Beng Hock’s death, the MACC issued its first public apology to his family for their pain and suffering.

Noting that the tragic incident also had a profound impact on all MACC personnel, Azam announced the graft buster’s readiness to provide a “goodwill contribution” to the family, particularly to support his only son’s welfare and educational needs.

Money for a life

Meanwhile, Teoh Beng Hock Association for Democratic Advancement (TBH-ADA) chairperson Ng Yap Hwa stressed that the family’s counter-offer is meant to demonstrate the inanity of Azam’s “compensation logic”.

“We’re not saying that any life has a price tag, as that would be morally wrong, but the MACC’s statement today, as well as remarks by certain quarters, imply that they are trying to show that money can buy a life.

“We’re very frustrated… does the MACC and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s government truly believe that money is everything, and that lives can be treated lightly while denying human rights, the rule of law, and court decisions?” Ng questioned.

“Wanted posters” featuring the five MACC officers implicated in Beng Hock’s death were also displayed during the press conference.

Each poster featured a RM660,000 “goodwill donation”, representing the RM660,000 paid by the government for compensation and legal costs to Beng Hock’s family in 2015.

The officers implicated at the time were the Selangor MACC deputy director Hishamuddin Hashim, investigating officer Mohamad Anuar Ismail, as well as MACC officers Hairul Ilham Hamzah, Mohd Ashraf Mohd Yunus, and Zulkefly Aziz.

In 2009, Beng Hock, who was then-Selangor state executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah’s aide, was found dead after overnight questioning at Selangor MACC, which was then headquartered at Plaza Masalam in Shah Alam.

A 2011 royal commission of inquiry (RCI) ruled that he was driven to suicide due to aggressive interrogation. However, in 2014, the Court of Appeal ruled his death was caused or accelerated by unlawful acts, including those of MACC officers.

On Nov 21 last year, the Kuala Lumpur High Court ordered the police to complete the investigation into Beng Hock’s death within six months.

In May, the Attorney-General’s Chambers ultimately classified the case as no further action.

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