Teoh Beng Hock was treated as a suspect, Seri Kembangan assemblyman Ean Yong Hian Wah told the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) investigating Teoh’s death.
Teoh, who was Ean Yong's political aide, was taken into the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s 14th floor offices at Plaza Masalam, Shah Alam, on July 15 before being found dead on a fifth floor landing of the building the next day.
Teoh was escorted from the State Secretariat building by two MACC officers, said Ean Yong, the RCI’s 65th witness, when responding to question from RCI chairman Tan Sri James Foong.
Replying to another question by Commissioner Datuk T. Selventhiranathan, Ean Yong said MACC officers merely told him it was for investigations. Teoh was a witness in the MACC's investigations of Ean Yong for misappropriating his assemblyman's funds.
Questioned by conducting officer Awang Armadajaya Awang Mahmud, Ean Yong said he met MACC investigating officer Mohd Anuar Ismail at the State Secretariat who told him a search warrant was not necessary and handed him a seizure list before requesting to take Teoh back to the Selangor MACC’s Plaza Masalam, Shah Alam office.
Ean Yong said he and Kota Alam Shah assemblyman M Manoharan advised Teoh to cooperate fully with the MACC, before turning up at the MACC office at 11.30pm on July 15.
He met Selangor MACC investigations head Hairul Ilham Hamzah who told him that Teoh would be released at 3.30am.
He said he tried to reach Teoh on July 16 by calls and SMSes but got no answers, and received calls from reporters from noon to 3pm asking to confirm something bad had happened to Teoh.
At Plaza Masalam, Ean Yong was met by then-Selangor police chief Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar who told him the case had nothing to do with him.
Ean Yong added MACC officers told him Teoh’s body was found, and they were unsure of what happened but would investigate it.
He met a few MACC officers accompanied by Pandamaran assemblyman Ronnie Liu.
Asked about Teoh’s personality, Ean Yong said Teoh was his right hand man who was dedicated and hardworking in helping him solve issues, adding that he had a good relationship with his office mates.
Questioned by Bar Council lawyer Christopher Leong, Ean Yong said he had never seen Teoh lose his temper, adding that Teoh said he was getting married, but did not share details with him.
The hearing continues.
