The Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) investigating Teoh Beng Hock’s July 16, 2009 death has been extended to June 25, announced RCI chairman Tan Sri James Foong today.
He said notification of the two-month extension came through a letter from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak and Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin had given consent to this.
The RCI, originally slated to finish on April 25, has heard testimony from 38 witnesses thus far, including Shah Alam Criminal Investigation Department chief DSP Kamaruddin Ismail, the RCI’s 37th witness.
Kamaruddin said more than 20 investigation papers existed concerning officers of the Selangor branch of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
Teoh was called in for questioning at the MACC offices on 14th floor of Plaza Masalam, Shah Alam on July 15, 2009, as a witness in its investigations on his boss, Seri Kembangan assemblyman Ean Yong Hian Wah. Teoh was found dead on a fifth floor landing of the building the following day.
Kamaruddin said the papers were based on reports made between March 25, 2005, and July 18, 2009, adding that the last report was made by Kajang municipal councillor Tan Boon Wah.
Speaking of difficulties in investigating the reports, Kamaruddin said that there were problems of cooperation from MACC officers.
“There were times MACC officers were called but they refused to come. MACC officers have asked investigating officers to come to their office to record their statement,” said Kamaruddin.
He said the MACC gave their full cooperation after Teoh’s death. “Now when we call, we don’t have to force them,” said Kamaruddin, who agreed with MACC counsel Datuk Seri Mohd Shafee Abdullah all complaints were lodged by suspects until Teoh’s death.
Kamaruddin told Commissioner T. Selventhiranathan that he had no access to MACC investigation papers, and agreed with Shafee that in all cases, MACC officers were found not guilty of injuring people.
He said that while three complaints were marked NFA (No Further Action), two concerned Selangor MACC investigations head Hairul Ilham Hamzah, while 13 cases named Mohd Ashraf Mohd Yunus.
Kamaruddin agreed with Selventhiranathan that then-Selangor MACC deputy head Hishamuddin Hashim lied to the RCI when he said he was unaware of police reports made.
Meanwhile, the RCI’s 36th witness, businessman Lee Wye Wing said Teoh was a conduit between him and Ean Yong.
He said Ean Yong would instruct Teoh to see whether projects met the budget and whether to proceed with the projects.
The third witness and the RCI’s latest witness, Putrajaya MACC officer Bulkini Paharuddin testified today that he heard a shout of “You lah” in Mandarin in the early hours of July 16.
He said he heard it when he brought Kajang municipal councillor Tan Boon Wah to the toilet at 2.30am. “I saw a man in a black shirt and white pants go into the toilet. Tan had yet to go in,” said Bulkini to a question from Foong.
“When Tan went in, I heard a loud voice from outside as the door closed as I returned to the pantry. It was in Chinese,” he added, saying Tan passed him in the pantry after 10 minutes.
Bulkini said he did not see if the man was Chinese.
The hearing continues.
