Wednesday 22 July 2009

Cabinet approves Royal Commission

The Cabinet has agreed to form a royal commission of inquiry to look into the interrogation methods used by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and to determine if it violated any human rights in its treatment of political aide Teoh Beng Hock, Malaysiakini reports. (Read BM here.)

An inquest will also be held to determine Teoh's cause of death, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak told reproters after a Cabinet meeting today.

Teoh, 30 was found dead on the fifth floor of Palaza Masalam in Shah Alam last Thursday after giving his statement to the Selangor MACC which had been investigating allegations that certain state assemblymen had misused constituency funds.

Politicians from both Barisan Nasional (BN) and PR as well as the Bar Council have called for a royal commission to be set up to investigate the circumstances surrounding Teoh'sdeath.

Cabinet approves royal commission

The cabinet today agreed to set up a royal commission to look into the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's investigative procedures and to determine if there were any human right violations when Teoh Beng Hock was being interrogated.

Prime Minister Najib Abdul who chaired the meeting - also revealed that an inquest will be held to determine Teoh's cause of death.

The cabinet also instructed the Home Ministry and the police to wrap up its investigations into the matter as soon as possible.

The findings of the investigation will be made public whereas Najib said he will personally inform the family about it.

Teoh, 30, was the former political secretary to a Selangor exco who was being probed for alleged corruption by the MACC.

He was said to have fallen to his death from the 14th floor of Plaza Masalam, which houses the MACC Selangor office, last Thursday.

His family and friends refuse to believe that Teoh, who was to get married the next day, would take his own life.

The case had received widespread media coverage, with both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat politicians calling for a royal commission of inquiry.

He added that in line with the 1Malaysia concept, the cabinet and government institutions are dedicated to providing the best service for the people.

Truth, nothing but the truth

"We want to establish the truth and nothing but the truth... it is important for us to ensure that public faith and confidence in important institutions," Najib expressed.

Asked whether a time-frame has been set for the police to wrap up their investigations and for the formation of the Royal Commission, Najib said:

"I know the police can wrap up investigations very soon. We are talking about a matter of days but the inquest is up to the magistrate to decide. The royal commission will established quite soon.

The prime minister added that the recommendations of the royal commission will be implemented, if they are "consistent with the principles announced".

He also denied reports that MACC officers involved in Teoh's interrogation have been suspended.

"We cannot have a preconceived notion, we have to wait for the results of the investigation.

Officers transfered, not suspended

"They have not been suspended. The lead investigator has been reassigned to the headquarters.

He also clarified that the royal commission's purview is not to determine Teoh's cause of death.

"The cause of death (will be determined) by inquest which is according to Criminal Procedure Code".

"The royal commission will look into the standard operating procedures of MACC.

He stressed that "the process of investigation will be forthright and transparent".

"We regard every human life to be sacrosanct and civil liberties to be valuable."

10 comments:

Lee said...

The Royal Commission of Inquiry is to inquire into the interrogation techniques used by MACC.It is not to inquire into the death of Beng Hock which is what the family and the general public want.An inquest will be held to determine the cause of Beng Hock's death.I think this is not fair to Beng Hock's family.The majistrate do not have the power of a Royal Commission...he/she will not be able to compel the MACC or the Police to cooperate fully.The family is short-changed...and the general public is being hookwinked!

Anonymous said...

I am glad that the Government has done the right thing by agreeing to form the Royal Commission besides condicting an inquest to determine the death of Teoh Beng Hock.


It shows that the govt s listening to the people.

Just be patient people, Let the authorities do their work.

Doest hurt to wait a little while longer to find out the truth.

pemerhati said...

Anwar berkata Kerajaan terpaksa membentuk suruhanjaya yang dimumkan semalam atas desakan rakyat yang mahukan keadilan buat mendiang Teoh,

Tetapi katanya, pembentukan suruhanjaya itu tidak akan melenyapkan persepsi atau pandangan rakyat terhadap institusi2 keadilan di negara ini.

Ianya juga tidak akan menjawab teka-teki yang menyelubungu mendiang Teoh.

Saya tidak faham dengan tindak-tandak pihak Pembangkang dan apakah yang mereka mahukan.

Bukan kah ini yang mereka desak daripada Kerajaan?

Bukankah ini yang mereka melaunghkan sejak seminggu lalu dan di perhimpunan di Stadium Kelana Jaya?

Nothing seems to satisfy them.

Perpatah Inggeris: Damn it (Kerajaan) does, damn it doesn’t.”

Aqil said...

Ini dikatakan bagi betis nak peha.

Nothing the Government does is right. Depa saja yang betul.

Siapa yang telah "mengeksploitasikan" isu ini?

Mereka telah mengemukan berbagai andaian dan semuanya menuding jari ke arah MACC yang mereka katakan bertanggung jawab atas kematian Teoh.

Yang kita semua dimaklumkan, Teoh adalah saksi utama dan penting dalam dalam menyelesaikan penyiaiatan penyalahanguna kuasa tabung oleh beberapa wakil rakyat DAP di selangor .

Soalannya: Siapa yang akan "benefit" dengan kematian Teoh? Banyak dokumen yang penting ada di dalam simpanan Teoh.

Kini, Suruhanjaya telah dibentuk untuk menyiasat cara mendiang Teoh di "soalsiast" oleh MACC selain dari satu inquest yang akan diadakan untuk menentukan bagaimana dan sebab-musabab beliau mati.

Apa lagi yang mereka mahu?

Mengadakan satu lagi perhimpunan raksaksa dan satu lagi demonstrasi jalanan untuk menuntut keadilan?

matt said...

Although I welcome the setting up of the Royal Commission, I do hope it wont end like the Lingam case.

I also hope it wont be another eyewash.

my 2 sens said...

Aqil asked:

Mengadakan satu lagi perhimpunan raksaksa dan satu lagi demonstrasi jalanan untuk menuntut keadilan?

Dont think its keadilan untuk Teoh. More of what DAP and Pakatan want. Period.

Kit Siang and Anwar didnt expect Najib to agree to their call for a Royal Commission to be set up. Must have taken them by surprise.

Now they have been check-mated.

Hehehe!

my 2 sens said...
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my 2 sens said...
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Rumba ria said...
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