The Selangor government has made an application to the Shah Alam magistrate's court seeking a postponement of Tuesday's Teoh Beng Hock's inquest.

The state submitted the application today to seek more time to secure the attendance of Thai pathologist, Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand.

Cteoh beng hock inquest 070809 malik imtiaz.jpgounsel Malik Imtiaz Sarwar (right), representing the Selangor government said: "I have made the application today on behalf of the Selangor government."

Malik told Malaysiakini that the Selangor government has also written to the Thai Ministry of Justice pledging to ensure Pornthip's safety when testifying at the inquest.

Initially coroner Azmil Muntapha Abbas had from the last session fixed two days from April 20, for Pornthip's testimony.

She had been scheduled to take the stand after Sungai Buloh pathologist, Dr Shahidan Md Noor, the person who performed the second autopsy, had ended his testimony last month.

Today, in a related development, Teoh's family had also urged Prime Minister Najib Addul Razak to give Pornthip the necessary guarantees to enable her to appear at the inquest.

At a press conference at Parliament lobby, Beng Hock's sister Lee Lan expressed her family's sadness over news that Pornthip would not be testifying.

Uncertainty over scheduled testimony

"We don't want the inquest to end with a question mark," she had said.

Malaysiakini had reported on Sunday, that the renowned Thai pathologist may not come to testify citing "political pressure" from the Malaysian government.

However, yesterday it was reported that she was willing to testify, provided her safety is guaranteed by the Malaysian government.

Besides the April 20 date, the coroner had also fixed April 26 and 27 for Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's British pathologist Peter Venezis to testify.

MACC lawyer Abdul Razak Musa wanted Venezis to be called after Pornthip.

Following today's application, it is not immediately known whether the April 26 and 27 hearing dates will also be rescheduled.