The police will reopen investigations into the death of former political aide Teoh Beng Hock, said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
“I guarantee the investigation this time will be conducted fairly and transparently without interference from any party.
“In particular, it will consider the Court of Appeal’s views on this case on Sept 5, 2014,” he said in a statement today following a long-awaited meeting between him and Teoh’s family.
The meeting took place at the prime minister’s office in Putrajaya this afternoon.
According to Anwar’s Facebook post, those present at the meeting were Beng Hock’s father Leong Hwee, mother Teng Shuw Hoi, sister Lee Lan, and son Er Jia.
“I have listened to their concerns and requests. I have followed this case closely and I understand the sadness and suffering that his family have gone through in seeking justice for Beng Hock,” said Anwar.
Beng Hock’s family has been lobbying for a murder investigation under Section 302 of the Penal Code instead of “wrongful confinement” under Section 342.
The Court of Appeal found in 2014 that Beng Hock’s death in 2009 was caused by one or several unknown persons including MACC officers.
Speaking to reporters outside the prime minister’s office, the family’s lawyer Ramkarpal Singh said Anwar will be meeting Inspector-General of Police Razarudin Husain on the matter soon.
“He said he will raise the issue with the police, the IGP, soon, and any follow-up measures will be communicated to me as the family’s lawyer,” he said.
Ramkarpal had accompanied the family to the prime minister’s office. Also present was Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo.
They arrived at about 3pm and left about an hour later at around 4pm.
Lee Lan also spoke to the press and said the prime minister assured the family that the investigation would be carried out independently and professionally.
“He also said that this time the investigation would be conducted independently and professionally. If necessary, the police would invite international experts to reinvestigate this case,” she said.
Lee Lan said the family has been disappointed with how investigations have been proceeding since 2018.
She noted that past police investigations were under Section 342 of the Penal Code, saying the provision did not adequately address the wrongful confinement aspect of the case.
Section 342 covers the unlawful restraint of a person, and those found guilty can be punished with jail time up to one year, a maximum fine of RM 2,000, or both.
Lee Lan said Anwar also agreed to reopen investigations into her brother’s “murder”.
“Datuk Seri promised us that he is very concerned about this case.
“He said this is not a small case, this is a murder case, it is a case involving human lives. So, he cares about this case and he will do his best to investigate it,” said Lee Lan.
During the meeting, Lee Lan also recalled a moment in 2009 when Anwar was present at Plaza Masalam, Shah Alam, in a gathering to demand justice for Beng Hock.
“Anwar said he still remembered it and he even came to Beng Hock’s funeral,” said Lee Lan.
Teoh’s mother expressed frustration that the perpetrator has not been charged yet and sought justice for her son’s death.
“My son would never commit suicide; he was a great son.
“For the past 15 years, I’ve always been thinking about my son’s death, and I need to know exactly what happened to him,” she said while holding back her tears.
Teoh Beng Hock Association for Democratic Advancement chairperson Ng Yap Hwa also accompanied the family but waited outside.
On July 15, a brief commotion occurred outside Parliament when Teoh Beng Hock Association for Democratic Advancement (TBH-ADA) and other supporters arrived following a three-day 40km “walk for justice”.
The group had planned to hand over a memorandum with a list of demands, among them calling for a thorough and transparent investigation into Beng Hock’s death.
However, as the group approached Parliament, they were prevented by the police from entering the building and subsequently Beng Hock’s sister Teoh Lee Lan fell to the ground and was allegedly injured.
After the incident that was recorded on video gained traction on social media, Anwar said he would meet the group in due course.
Beng Hock died at the age of 30 on July 16, 2009. He was a political aide to then Seri Kembangan DAP 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.
In July 2011, a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) found that Beng Hock’s death was due to suicide.
But, in September 2014, the Court of Appeal ruled that Beng Hock’s death was caused by multiple injuries from a fall from the building which was accelerated by “an unlawful act or acts of person or persons unknown” including MACC officers who were involved in the case.
In May 2015, the government agreed to pay Beng Hock’s family RM600,000 as a settlement for a civil suit initiated in 2012 for negligence resulting in Beng Hock’s death.
In January 2022, Beng Hock’s parents filed for a judicial review to compel the police to complete investigations into his 2009 death.
Last month, the High Court set Oct 29 to deliver its ruling on a judicial review brought by Beng Hock’s family against the police.