Friday, July 17, 2009

NGOs: Royal Commission of Inquiry on 1st Political Death under Najib

Civil Society Joint Statement 2009.07.17

We, the undersigned civil society groups hereby register our shock, grief and anger at the first political death under the 105-day-old Najib Administration.

Our hearts go out to the fiancée and family of Mr Teo Beng Hock, political secretary of Selangor State Executive Councilor Ean Yong Hian Wah who died falling off the Selangor headquarters of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) reportedly on Thursday afternoon, just a day before his planned marriage registration.

We demand:

(1) the establishment of a Royal Commission of Inquiry to independently and thoroughly investigate the incident and include in its terms of reference the key issue of whether the present command and power structure of MACC has played a role in this tragic incident. Half of the members of the Royal Commission should be nominated by the Federal Opposition to ensure credibility.

(2) that MACC national director Ahmad Said, Selangor Director Moh Samsudin and all officers involved in the investigation of Ean Yong and his fellow lawmakers be immediately suspended until the completion of the Royal Commission’s work to ensure no cover up or obstruction to the investigation.

No one should die because of politics

We are extremely shocked and saddened that politics in Malaysia is not only degrading human freedom and dignity, but has also claimed human life. While many Malaysians have suffered political persecution including detention without trial and torture, no one – to our knowledge – has directly died at the hand of a government institution because of politics since the Kampung Memali incident in 1985.

No blood should be shed because of politics. Even one life lost is too many. Unfortunately, Beng Hock is now the first political death under the Najib Administration and under the MACC, which has joined the police force in causing death in custody.

We, and we are sure, all Malaysians categorically demand call on PM Najib Razak to see to justice being done on Beng Hock's death.

It was Najib's failure that he had done nothing in his first 100 days to investigate the allegation by UMNO Maran Division Committee Member Halimi Kamaruzzaman that he was roughed up and forced to strip by MACC officers in a politically-motivated investigation targeting another UMNO politician Norza Zakaria. If that was done, Beng Hock may still be alive now.

Just a week ago, forty civil society groups listed the reform of MACC as one of Najib’s Key Performance Indicators in his second 100 days. It is essential that Najib institutes political reforms to restore democracy and human rights.

A Royal Commission of Inquiry is the only acceptable body that can resolve and bring to a closure the many unanswered questions on the shocking developments leading to and after the death of Beng Hock:

Firstly, isn't the MACC's investigation and office raids on Mr Ean Yong and six other Pakatan Rakyat lawmakers in State Assembly over alleged corruption in constituency fund allocation around RM 500,000-600,000 selective and politically motivated? Why have long standing and vastly more serious scandals like that of the RM 12.5 billion PKFZ project and the RM 24-million “Khir Palace” not been pursued with the same enthusiasm and vigour?

Secondly, Beng Hock was interrogated for 10 hours and 45 minutes consecutively from 5pm on Wednesday to 3.45 am Thursday. This was revealed by the MACC Director of Investigation Mohd Shukri Abdul himself. What was the MACC's motive in interrogating Beng Hock in such an unacceptable sleep-depriving manner that rivals the mental torture at Guantanamo Bay and why was he denied the presence of his counsel?

Thirdly, Beng Hock was then allegedly released and allowed to rest in the lobby of the MACC office. According to Mohd Shukri Abdul, he was still seen by a MACC officer at 6am. Who was this hard working officer who turned up at work at 6am? Why was Beng Hock incommunicado, according to Ean Yong, even after his alleged release? Why did he not drive home after resting?

Fourthly, the MACC refused to confirm Ean Yong of Beng Hock's death at 4 pm when they claimed to have known about it at 1.30pm. Why? Why did MACC call a press conference only at 5pm, three and a half hours after knowledge of the death?

Fifthly, Beng Hock's family was first denied access to his body and later given only one and a half hour to bring their own pathologist. What was the logic behind these incomprehensible decisions? Was there anything to hide?

Malaysians are demanding answers to all these questions. The least we must do now is to ensure that justice is done with no cover up whatsoever and with full transparency and credibility.

Nazri Must Apologize

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz should apologize unreservedly to Beng Hock's family for speculating that Beng Hock had jumped off the building ahead of the conclusion of thorough and unbiased investigation.

Initiated by
1. Ragunath Kesavan, President, The Bar Council
2. Liau Kok Fah, Chairperson, Civil Right Committee, Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (CRC-KLSCAH)
3. Gayathry Venkiteswaran, Executive Director, Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ)
4. Dr Lim Teck Ghee, Executive Director, Centre for Policy Initiatives (CPI)
5. Andrew Khoo, Convener, Civil Society Initiative for Parliamentary Reform (CSI@Parliament)
6. K. Arumugam, Coordinator, Group of Concerned Citizens (GCC)
7. Ng Chong Soon, President, Youth Section of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (YS-KLSCAH)
8. Lee Song Yong, Secretary of National Affairs, Malaysia Youth and Student Democratic Movement (DEMA)
9. Maria Chin Abdullah, Executive Director, Persatuan Kesedaran Komuniti Selangor (Empower)
10. Zaid Kamaruddin, President, Jamaah Islah Malaysia (JIM)
11. Haris Ibrahim, Convenor, People’s Parliament
12. Tah Moon Hui, Coordinator, Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram)
13. Wong Chin Huat, Chairperson, Writer Alliance for Media Independence (WAMI)
14. Kua Sin Kheng, President, Youth Section of Malacca Chinese Assembly Hall (YS-MCAH)
15. Low Seong Teong, President, Youth Section of Negeri Sembilan Chinese Assembly Hall (YS-NSCAH)
16. Tang Kwai Fun, Director of Civil Society Committee LLG Cultural Development Centre (LLGCSC)
17. Ho Yock Lin, Coordinator for Solidarity Building Committee, All Women's Action Society Malaysia (AWAM)

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

命不可以白送,血不可以白流!

趙明福,一个三十岁的大好青年。
趙明福,一个在为国为民而奋斗的大好青年。
趙明福,一个快将与爱人创造一个美好家庭的大好青年。
他,应该这么短命吗?
他,应该就这么快走完他的一生吗?
为什么?为什么?
难道只因他是你们的政敌?
难道这就是不跟你们同流合污的后果吗?

官员拒绝出示证件,
官员拒绝透露全名,
官员没有搜查令或庭令,
这是我们所谓专业的反贪污局吗?
基宮調查了沒?搜索了沒?盤問了沒?
选择性调查,针对性打击,
把无辜者逼上绝路,
无端端把一个大好青年牺牲掉,
这就是你们大力改革了的独立反贪污局吗?

你们利用警察打压无辜的人民;
我们无能为力,只能手掩鼻嘴在哽咽;
你们放任执法单胡作妄为欺压手无寸铁的人民,
我们动弹不得,只能手握拳头在怒视。
但,今天因为你们的种种无良行为,
我们牺牲了一个大好青年,
难道我们还要选择继续沉默吗?
难道我们还可以继续姑息,妥协吗?

趙明福的命不可以白送,
趙明福的血不可以白流,
这条公道,这笔账,一定要追算!
是时候了,感觉愤怒的热血之士,
放开我们的嗓子呐喊,
把我们背地里愤慨,忧伤都抖出来,
一齐都泻到纸上!
一齐用我们的行动来告诉大家!
让他们无耻,卑鄙无法遮拦!
让他们毫无悔恨的一面公诸于世!

是时候了,稍有良心的热血之士,
向着无辜离我们而去的趙明福,
我们发誓,
今天,我们要鸣起心里的怒气,
作为一支巨鞭,鞭笞死阳光中一切的黑暗!
我们含着愤怒的泪,
向歌唱真理的弟兄们呼唤,
快将火炬举起,
为葬阳光下的一切黑暗!

起来吧!
歌唱真理的弟兄们,
感觉愤怒的热血之士们,
稍有良心的热血之士们!
闻而兴鸡鸣起舞之感,
天下兴亡匹夫有责之念,
你们都懂了吗?
姑息,妥协只能导致黑暗继续笼罩我们的天空!

安息吧,趙明福!
让我们用最猛烈的火炬您哀悼;
让我们用真诚的心来送您最后一程!