SHAH ALAM, 20 July 2009: The investigation into the death of political aide Teoh Beng Hock, 30, is 60% completed, said Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan.
“We are still investigating the case and, God willing, will complete investigations as soon as possible, and then make an announcement,” he told reporters after a briefing on the investigation by senior officers at the Selangor police contingent here today.
Teoh, who was the aide to Ean Yong Hian Wah, the Selangor state executive councillor for the New Village Development and Illegal Factory Taskforce, was found dead on 16 July on the roof of the fifth floor of Plaza Masalam after being questioned by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
He was among winesses called to help into MACC investigations related to the misappropriation of state allocations by several assemblypersons.
Meanwhile, Selangor chief police officer Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar said police had recorded 33 statements, including from 25 MACC officers.
He said police would call Yong and Kota Alam Shah assemblyperson M Manoharan to record their statements. Teoh was found to have contacted Yong and Manoharan before he was questioned.
Police would also record conversations with Teoh’s family at an appropriate time, Khalid said.
He added that police also want to record conversations with Kajang municipal council member Tan Boon Wah, who had made a police report against the MACC on 18 July but had refused to give a statement.
“I advise Tan to present himself to the police station to give a statement on the report he made. If not, we will have to issue a notice under Section 11 of the Penal Code to order him to give a statement at the station,” Khalid said.
He said if Tan continued to refuse to give a statement on the police report, police would take further action on him for making a false report.
Khalid further said police would call two other people who had been questioned by the MACC on the same day, who had been with Tan and Teoh.
On items retrieved from the Selangor MACC office, Khalid said his people had revisited the scene yesterday and gathered what had been left behind on 16 July. These items included documents and a window latch from the 14th floor for investigation into Teoh’s death, which is still classified as sudden death.
Asked about the approximate time of Teoh’s death, Khalid said, “If we follow the initial report of the doctor, about four to five hours before the body was found.”
He said closed-circuit camera recording showed Teoh entered the building on the evening of 15 July. There was no recording of him leaving.
Answering a question on the possibility that Teoh fell from the 14th floor, Khalid replied, “Highly possible.”
He said Teoh’s handphone was with the police since last Thursday and that it was obtained from a MACC investigation officer and did not dismiss the possibility that the phone could unravel what happened.
Asked if Teoh’s death may be linked to secret society activites, he said police were investigating from various angles. — Bernama
Nicholas Aw says
Watching an episode of CSI on telly gives us the impression that investigations would be completed in an hour. I hope the PDRM will not in any way be influenced by television’s CSI. To claim that 60% of investigation is completed is remarkable. However, I hope that the police would not leave any stone unturned yet at the same time to be meticulous in their investigation.
Currently, the image of PDRM is pretty badly dented and to carry out investigations that may be below expectations or later contradictions arising from the investigations may appear would then destroy whatever remnants of trust for the police force that is still in existence.
It will be interesting to see what happens then. The rakyat await and watch in anticipation. The actions of PDRM, the MACC and other responsible government bodies are under intense public scrutiny.
Mohd Bakri says
It does not take a CSI personnel to tell you that the way Teoh is positioned at the floor does not correspond with a person jumping of or diving from the 14th floor. If a person who intended to jump he would be facing the railing and that would mean he would be landing face down and not sideways as he was discovered.
The rakyat does not have faith in the so-called fair investigations as quoted by the deputy prime minister. Thousands of mysterious deaths of young men in police lock-ups remove any faith that was there before.
The very fact that the authorities have turned a deaf ear to the call of an independent royal commission shows that it is business as usual. Not much has changed, it is like asking one mistrusted entity to investigate another. God help the man on the street with such untrustworthy custodians of the law.
zamorin says
Err, how did they come to the 60% figure? They know 60% who did it?
k c low says
60% of investigation completed means 60% of incriminating evidence eradicated. Once the balance of the 40% of the evidence is wiped off, then MACC officials are safe.
armstrong says
60% to closing case and classified as suicide or 60% to finding out who is the murderer?
raguel says
Jump fr 14th floor to 5th floor skull still ok? What we read about, injury from fall – any kid can tell you that. No need for examination.
Alan Tan says
God willing?
God has less to do with this than the meddlesome, maligned intentions of man, I think.
Aiyoh says
IGP and PRDM must be super efficient and super intelligent.
Immediately after the discovery of Teoh’s death – do not suspect foul play.
Less than 72 hours – 60% of the case completed.
I can predict what happens next – case file passed to Prosecutor’s Office. No further action due to lack of information or inconclusive evidence.
Case close.
Add one more case “settled” under the KPI management.