The Najib administration has warned that the Teoh Beng Hock case was closed, saying there was no need to form another Royal Commission of Inquiry just because the deceased's family and the political opposition had rejected the suicide conclusion in the RCI report.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Aziz said the RCI had absolved the MACC of murder charges and this should not be questioned further.
“I find that the truth has been revealed and it has been proven that the MACC did not kill Teoh. This is clear and MACC has been freed from the charge. Despite what has happened, I am confident that the people will continue to support the MACC,” he said.
The UMNO factor
Nazri's comments have been pretty much as anticipated by seasoned media watchers. To placate the public, the government-controlled media went all out to point out the 'vices' of the 3 MACC officers who had interrogated Teoh and 'stressed' him so much that according to the RCI report, Teoh jumped out of the window.
But behind the 'sandiwara', was there ever any doubt that Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is also the UMNO president and in charge of the Selangor UMNO division, would allow any outcome that did not "absolve" the MACC.
The 30-year Teoh was nothing more than a pawn in a power tussle, with Selangor UMNO and the MACC allegedly conspiring to topple the Pakatan Rakyat Selangor state government. MACC officers tried their best to extract a confession to implicate Teoh's immediate boss, the Seri Kembangan assemblyman and Selangor executive councillor Ean Yong.
Their overly harsh methods resulted in Teoh's death, though unlike the RCI's finding, Teoh may not have jumped out of the 14th floor window on his own volition. Chances are more likely he was dangled out of the window to scare him into a confession and this remains the most popular guess as to how he really died.
What the Teoh family and many Malaysians cannot forgive are the deliberate lies that Najib, Nazri and the RCI report fed to the public in regards to the psychological condition Teoh was in. Nazri alluded to Teoh's 'weak' character and the RCI report insinuated that psychology experts supported this suicide theory.
However, the Bar Council has debunked the RCI finding and sharply rebuked the panel for twisting the information as such. Bar Council representatives have held watching briefs on behalf of the Teoh family.
The forked-tongue approach
Yet on Sunday, in an interview with UMNO-owned Utusan Malaysia, Nazri continued to try "pulling wool" over the public's eye. Again, he slammed the MACC for not adhering to proper procedure, admitting that death would not have occured if the agency adhered to proper procedures.
Not once did he mention about charging the MACC trio for causing Teoh's death, only for breaching house rules.
“The death would not have happened if the investigation was carried out according to prescribed procedures and satisfactory standards. When something like this has happened, we must accept the fact that there are things that must be done,” said Nazri.
“I would also like to remind that we must admit to these weaknesses, do not deny it. It is not that I do not want to defend these (MACC) officers but I believe, and I know, that some things have happened. Based on the (RCI) report that we have read, it clearly shows that the investigation was carried out continuously. MACC must correct itself.'
Nazri even condemned DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang for saying that 'forced' suicide was hoimicide.
“So whatever the outcome of the RCI, they will not accept. Look at what Lim Kit Siang said — that forced suicide equals to homicide... where he learned this law, it’s too remote. To prove murder, there must be mens rea (intention) and actus reas (action)... in Teoh’s case, where was the mens rea?” said Nazri.
Malaysia Chronicle
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Aziz said the RCI had absolved the MACC of murder charges and this should not be questioned further.
“I find that the truth has been revealed and it has been proven that the MACC did not kill Teoh. This is clear and MACC has been freed from the charge. Despite what has happened, I am confident that the people will continue to support the MACC,” he said.
The UMNO factor
Nazri's comments have been pretty much as anticipated by seasoned media watchers. To placate the public, the government-controlled media went all out to point out the 'vices' of the 3 MACC officers who had interrogated Teoh and 'stressed' him so much that according to the RCI report, Teoh jumped out of the window.
But behind the 'sandiwara', was there ever any doubt that Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is also the UMNO president and in charge of the Selangor UMNO division, would allow any outcome that did not "absolve" the MACC.
The 30-year Teoh was nothing more than a pawn in a power tussle, with Selangor UMNO and the MACC allegedly conspiring to topple the Pakatan Rakyat Selangor state government. MACC officers tried their best to extract a confession to implicate Teoh's immediate boss, the Seri Kembangan assemblyman and Selangor executive councillor Ean Yong.
Their overly harsh methods resulted in Teoh's death, though unlike the RCI's finding, Teoh may not have jumped out of the 14th floor window on his own volition. Chances are more likely he was dangled out of the window to scare him into a confession and this remains the most popular guess as to how he really died.
What the Teoh family and many Malaysians cannot forgive are the deliberate lies that Najib, Nazri and the RCI report fed to the public in regards to the psychological condition Teoh was in. Nazri alluded to Teoh's 'weak' character and the RCI report insinuated that psychology experts supported this suicide theory.
However, the Bar Council has debunked the RCI finding and sharply rebuked the panel for twisting the information as such. Bar Council representatives have held watching briefs on behalf of the Teoh family.
The forked-tongue approach
Yet on Sunday, in an interview with UMNO-owned Utusan Malaysia, Nazri continued to try "pulling wool" over the public's eye. Again, he slammed the MACC for not adhering to proper procedure, admitting that death would not have occured if the agency adhered to proper procedures.
Not once did he mention about charging the MACC trio for causing Teoh's death, only for breaching house rules.
“The death would not have happened if the investigation was carried out according to prescribed procedures and satisfactory standards. When something like this has happened, we must accept the fact that there are things that must be done,” said Nazri.
“I would also like to remind that we must admit to these weaknesses, do not deny it. It is not that I do not want to defend these (MACC) officers but I believe, and I know, that some things have happened. Based on the (RCI) report that we have read, it clearly shows that the investigation was carried out continuously. MACC must correct itself.'
Nazri even condemned DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang for saying that 'forced' suicide was hoimicide.
“So whatever the outcome of the RCI, they will not accept. Look at what Lim Kit Siang said — that forced suicide equals to homicide... where he learned this law, it’s too remote. To prove murder, there must be mens rea (intention) and actus reas (action)... in Teoh’s case, where was the mens rea?” said Nazri.
Malaysia Chronicle
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