'No in-out record': MACC advisor raises eyebrows

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has no record of Teoh Beng Hock leaving the place where he was interrogated, thus adding to the mystery of his death, revealed a MACC advisor.

Philanthropist and Social Care Foundation founder Robert Phang said this was revealed by the investigating officer who questioned Teoh during a briefing by the MACC for its advisors on July 19.

Phang, sits on the MACC's Corruption Prevention and Consultation Panel, was among about 20 of the commission's advisors who attended the briefing at the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya.

During the briefing, Phang (right) said the investigating officer involved was repeatedly grilled by advisors, including advisory board chair and former chief justice Hamid Omar.

"The MACC has taken a stand that at 3.45am (on July 16), investigations were completed and Teoh could go home. We all asked why he chose to stay back.

"Any detainee would have ran for his life! The investigating officer replied that since Teoh wanted to stay back, he allowed it," said Phang in a recent interview at his office in Kuala Lumpur.

No official log book

But as the team of advisors probed further, they realised that there was no official log book to show when Teoh was brought in for questioning and later when he was released.

"They said he was free to leave, but we pointed out that there was no records to prove it," said Phang, adding that this could be interpreted that Teoh was still under custody, since the deceased was required to show up for further questioning the following day.

Teoh (left) was found dead on the fifth-floor landing of Plaza Masalam on July 16, nine floors below the Selangor MACC office where he was questioned from 5pm until 3.45am.

Teoh was the aide of Seri Kembangan state assemblyperson Ean Yong Hian Wah, who was among seven Pakatan Rakyat state reps being probed by the MACC for alleged abuse of state funds.

Despite the "thorough" briefing given by the MACC, Phang and his colleagues are still no where closer to the truth surrounding Teoh's death.

However, he urged the public not to speculate on the matter and remain calm while waiting for the authorities to conduct investigations.

Widen Royal Commission scope

Asked if he was satisfied with the government's decision to hold a coroner's inquest to determine Teoh's cause of death and a royal commission of inquiry to review MACC's operating procedures, Phang opined that the inquest was necessitated by law.

But, Phang lamented that the inquest would be looking into technical aspects of Teoh's death, such as pathologist or forensics reports, and not establish a reason for the death.

"Though the royal commission's scope is wide, it can be opened up further to dig deeper into issues not cleared by the inquest," he said.

Phang, who has advised the government in several capacities before, said that he believed the government would be open to such a suggestion.

The government plans to establish a royal commission to probe if Teoh's human rights were violated and review interrogation techniques used by the MACC.

It is uncertain when the composition of the royal commission or its terms of reference would be made public.

In view of public condemnation of the MACC, advisors recommended that the commission improve its public image.

"MACC is viewed as practising selective prosecution, as reports lodged against BN politicians are hardly investigated, the like high-profile case of Khir Toyo's mansion.

Trust fund set up for Teoh

"We didn't know that they were investigating it until we asked. The public feels the MACC should make it known. They bought our point," said Phang.

Phang said the MACC must hold weekly press conferences to reveal status of investigations to avoid perceptions of bias.

"When transparency is there, gradually the MACC will earn the trust of the public," he said.

Meanwhile, Phang said that he had attended a opposition-organised memorial for Teoh in Kuala Lumpur on July 23 in order to gain feedback from the public.

When Phang was invited up the stage, he took a bit of flak from the floor due to his affiliation to the MACC, but the 3,000 crowd eventually cheered him on. He also donated RM50,000 during the event to Teoh's fiancee, Soh Cher Wei, who is two-months pregnant.

"I wanted to appeal to more people to donate to the trust fund which has been set up for Teoh's unborn child. I felt very bad for the fiancee," he said.