Teoh RCI report indictment of MACC, says Kit Siang

KUALA LUMPUR, July 22 — Lim Kit Siang said today that the Royal Commission of Inquiry’s (RCI) report on Teoh Beng Hock’s death is an indictment of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) as it proved that the commission had acted beyond its jurisdiction to achieve “misguided objectives and agendas.”

“The RCI report is an indictment of the MACC. The picture it gives of MACC is not a law enforcement agency but a lawless organisation housed by criminals who have no qualms to break the law to achieve their misguided objectives and agendas which have nothing to do with the battle against corruption,” the DAP parliamentary advisor said in a statement today.

The inquiry into Teoh’s death ruled yesterday that the former DAP aide had committed suicide as a result of pressure from aggressive and continuous questioning by MACC officers.


The officers had wanted to pressure Teoh into becoming a witness in their case against his boss, Seri Kembangan assemblyman, Ean Yong Hian Wah, for alleged abuse of public funds.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz disclosed the finding which he said was unanimous. The royal commission also found that three MACC officers had breached standard operating procedures and recommended that action be taken specifically against them.

Lim charged that news reports on the finding revealed one “consistent” picture — that it was impossible for the MACC to disclaim any form of responsibility for causing Teoh’s death.

“There can be no doubt as to the answer even before the establishment of the RCI when the question is asked: Was MACC responsible for the death of Teoh Beng Hock? The answer is in the categorical positive.

“The RCI report did not give a direct answer to the question but anyone reading the contents can only derive one conclusion — that the RCI would say “Yes” if asked to answer this specific question,” added Lim.

The MACC has since stated that it would accept the findings of the RCI report and promised appropriate action would be taken.

In response, the Ipoh Timur MP questioned whether the MACC or the government were prepared to take “full responsibility” for Teoh’s death.

“Is the MACC or the government prepared to publicly accept responsibility for causing the death of Teoh Beng Hock and make a generous ex-gratia compensation payment to TBH’s family, among other things, to minimise the family’s sufferings and to facilitate a closure of the tragedy?” he added.