DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang said that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's (MACC) suspension of three officers “held responsible for the death of Teoh Beng Hock” is action “too little, too late”.

This, he claimed, is because unlawful interrogation techniques used by the commission’s officers revealed in the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) report, demands sterner actions.

NONE"It is gravely inadequate and a total mockery of the RCI report which describes ... heinous crimes by the MACC officers," said Lim in a statement today.

Lim noted that the Teoh Beng Hock RCI report was officially handed to the Agong on June 22, which means the Attorney-General had over a month to prosecute the commission's officers for the "grave offences" that he said was outlined in the report.

"Why is there total silence from the Attorney-General Gani Patail?" asked the veteran opposition politician.

The MACC yesterday finally bowed to increasing public pressure and suspended three officers “held responsible by James Foong’s Royal Commission of Inquiry” into the death of political aide Teoh Beng Hock at the commission's headquarters in Shah Alam on July 16, 2009.

The trio were suspended from further investigation duties pending an internal probe.

Today, the MACC announced in a statement that it is forming a high-powered task force to study the TBH-RCI report and decide on how to implement suggestions on improvements to its organisation.

The executive transformation committee to be led by commission chief Abu Kassim Mohamed will be made up of three other senior MACC officials, while four members will be drawn from the anti-graft body’s panels and committees, while the remaining two would be legal experts.

‘More questions than answers’

Lim argued that the tardy and inappropriate actions being taken raises more questions than answers. 
  
He queried why only three officers were suspended when the RCI report named many who he said “were responsible for Beng Hock's death  as well as (for) a whole series of illegal and unlawful acts”.

The Ipoh Timor MP also pointed out that the commission had lied to the RCI and possibly in the inquest earlier when its officers maintained there were only three interrogation sessions when it has emerged that a fourth one had taken place.

“Why hasn't action been taken against all the MACC officers implicated, and the commission taken to task for perjuries before judicial proceedings, like the inquest and the RCI?” asked the opposition leader.

Lim was also skeptical of the anti-graft body’s “slap on the wrist of” the MACC trio, who have only been suspended from investigations duties but still enjoy the "perks and privileges” of their rank.
 
“MACC is neither serious nor genuine when it declares that it accepts the RCI report with ‘open heart’, or (else) it would have taken to heart the indictment of the MACC contained in the RCI report.”

“Why are the others not suspended from all duties or arrested and prosecuted for their host of crimes, including violating Section 193 of Penal Code for giving false evidence at judicial proceedings?” Lim asked.