Govt agrees to reopen Beng Hock case

THE government has agreed to reopen the investigation into the 2009 death of political aide Teoh Beng Hock, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

He assured that the investigation will be conducted transparently and fairly, without any outside interference.

Anwar made the announcement after meeting with Teoh’s family members in Putrajaya, including his parents Teng Shuw Hoi and Teoh Leong Hwee, his son Teoh Er Jia, and his sister Teoh Lee Lan.

“I heard all their grievances and requests. I have been closely following this case for a long time and understand the sadness and suffering of the family who have been fighting for justice for Teoh for a long time. The government agrees for the police to reopen the investigation papers related to the death of Teoh Beng Hock.

“I assure that this investigation will be carried out transparently and fairly without interference from any party, and will take into account the views of the Court of Appeal regarding this case on 5 September 2014,” he said in a statement.

Earlier in July, Anwar said he would meet Teoh’s family and review their memorandum asking for justice for Teoh. His assurance came after the police had stopped a group of Teoh’s supporters and family members at the Parliament gates, preventing them from handing over a memorandum to the government. During the stand-off, several people, including Teoh’s sister Lee Lan, were manhandled by the police. The group had ended their three-day walk at Parliament and wanted to submit the memorandum to Anwar, demanding justice for Teoh, who died in the Selangor MACC headquarters in Shah Alam 15 years ago.

In 2009, Teoh, an aide to Selangor executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah, was found dead on the fifth floor of Plaza Masalam in Shah Alam. He had been questioned on the 14th floor of the Selangor MACC headquarters. A coroner’s inquest in 2011 delivered an open verdict. His family subsequently filed an appeal against the findings. Three years later, the Court of Appeal set aside the open verdict and ruled that Teoh’s death was caused by multiple injuries as a result of unlawful acts by unknown persons.

In June 2018, the cabinet approved reopening investigations into Teoh’s death. However, four months later, the police said they had not received any instructions from the Attorney-General’s Chambers to do so. The police then re-filed the case under the minor charge of “wrongful confinement” instead of homicide.

In August 2023, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said police had completed their investigation and submitted the report to the Attorney-General’s Chambers. Teoh’s support group had previously criticised Anwar for failing to engage with them since coming to power in August 2023. – August 1, 2024.