Family quizzed on Teoh’s well-being

KAJANG: Family members of Teoh Beng Hock, who was found dead near the Selangor Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) office in Shah Alam last week, was quizzed by police on the political aide’s emotional well-being.

They were at the police station here at about 3pm on Wednesday, and left at 4:30pm after having their statements recorded.

Police interviewed Teoh’s father, brother and younger sister, as well as his fiancee Soh Cher Wei.

Segambut DAP chief Lim Lip Eng, who spoke for the family, said police questions centred mainly on Teoh’s emotional well-being.

“They asked if he was unhappy or had problems at work or was facing financial difficulty; they were even asked if he was suicidal,” he said.

“His family ruled all of this out, saying he was a jovial person and had no problems,” he said.

The family was also pleased with the Cabinet’s decision on Wednesday to set up an inquest to determine the cause of his death, and a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the interrogation methods used by the MACC on Teoh, said Lim.

“They hope for a swift conclusion to the investigation,” he added.

Teoh, the 30-year-old political secretary to Selangor executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah, was taken in by the MACC last Thursday as a witness in its investigation into certain state representatives accused of having abused constituency funds.

He was kept overnight for interrogation. The next day, his body was found sprawled on the fifth floor of the building in which the Selangor MACC office is located.

Police investigating the death have recorded the statements of nearly 50 people so far, including Ean Yong, who is also the Seri Kembangan assemblyman, and his confidential secretary Hiew Kim Boon -- who was in the office with teoh when the latter was taken in by the MACC last week.