Teoh Beng Hock exhumed for second autopsy

KAJANG: Teoh Beng Hock’s body was exhumed on Saturday for a second autopsy at Sungai Buloh Hospital.

The exhumation had been ordered by the inquest into the political aide’s recent death, after Thai pathologist Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand testified that his likely cause of death was homicide and not suicide.

The body, reportedly in good condition, was sent to the Sungai Buloh Hospital where it was subjected to X-ray and CT scans.

Teoh was found dead on the fifth floor of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) office in Shah Alam on July 16 and an inquest into his death is ongoing at the Shah Alam Coroner’s Court.

Members of the media started gathering at the Nirvana Memorial Garden in Semenyih early in the morning and there were almost 40 pressmen by the time the prayer rituals started at 9am.

The grave had been cordoned off with about three metres high of white canvas, thus obscuring the view of the pressmen and passers-by.

By 10.40am, 10 cemetery workers had disinterred the casket and Teoh’s body was identified by his siblings Teoh Lee Lan and Teoh Beng Kee.


The casket was then wrapped up in plastic sheets before it was placed in a hearse and headed for Sungai Buloh Hospital, where Teoh’s parents were waiting.

It is learnt that Soh Cher Wei, who went through a marriage ceremony with Teoh after his death, stayed home as she is six months pregnant with his child.

Dr Pornthip was present to observe the exhumation, together with Sungai Buloh Hospital chief pathologist Dr Shahidan Md Noor.

Lee Lan had earlier told the press that she felt heavy hearted over the exhumation but hoped the second autopsy would reveal her brother’s cause of death.

“We are prepared to find out the truth,” she said. Gobind Singh Deo, counsel for the Teoh family, said the body appeared to be in good condition.

“As far as I can tell, it looked like it was in good condition. But I am a lawyer, not a doctor, so we’ll see what the experts say,” he said, adding that there were six pathologists present including Dr Pornthip.

“Dr Pornthip was here to observe the exhumation. We don’t want any complaints later on (about the procedures). The post-mortem will be done tomorrow at 9.30am, and I was told they hope to get it done by early afternoon,” he said.

Gobind added that he did no see anyone from MACC, saying they “should have sent a representative”.

Also present were Teoh’s former boss Selangor state executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah, DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang and another Selangor state executive councillor Ronnie Liu.

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Teoh's remains can be exhumed, says coroner

By WANI MUTHIAH

SHAH ALAM: Coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas has allowed an application made by deceased political aide Teoh Beng Hock’s brother Meng Kee to exhume his remains for a second post-mortem.

The details of the second post-mortem, including who will perform it and when, will be decided when the inquest into Teoh’s death resumes on Nov 9.

Although Azmil Muntapha gave his consent for renowned Thai forensic pathologist Dr Pornthip Rojansunand to be present at the proposed post-mortem, she will not be able to actively participate in it due to certain legal procedural issues.

This is because only a practising physician registered with the Malaysian medical board can do so. as stipulated under the Medical Act 1971.

Counsel holding a watching brief for the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Datuk Abdul Razak Musa also pointed out that the Mahidol University, where Dr Pornthip acquired her medical degree, was not among the 250 universities recognised by the same Act.

“It is clear under the law that Dr Pornthip cannot conduct the post-mortem,” said Abdul Razak.


Abdul Razak, who however did not object to the second post-mortem, said the MACC would be sending its own pathologist to attend and audit the findings.

Meanwhile, counsel holding a watching brief for Teoh’s family Gobind Singh Deo said the application to exhume Teoh’s remains did not name Dr Pornthip because of the legal issues involved.

“But she should be given the liberty to be there,” said Gobind, adding that Dr Pornthip should attend the post-mortem since it was she who testified that Teoh’s death was probably 80% due to homicide.

Azmil Muntapha then gave his nod for Dr Pornthip to be present at the post-mortem and ordered University Malaya Medical Centre’s Dr Prashant Samberkar and Klang Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital forensic pathologist Dr Khairul Azman Ibrahim to also be present at the post-mortem.

Both pathologists had performed the first post-mortem on Teoh’s remains.

Lawyer appointed to represent the government Tan Hock Chuan also said he had no objections to a second post-mortem.

“The family is entitled to find out what may have happened,” said Tan.

It is believed that the post-mortem will be conducted on Nov 14 as Dr Pornthip is said to be attending a conference in Malaysia at that time.

Teoh, who was the political aide to Selangor executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah, was summoned for questioning by the MACC at its Selangor office on the 14thfloor of Plaza Masalam here on July 15 over the alleged irregular disbursement of state funds.

He was found dead on the building’s 5th floor service corridor the following day.

Dr Pornthip, who testified at the inquest last month, had said there were finger-like marks on Teoh’s neck which may indicate manual strangulation.

She had also added the injuries to his anal region appeared as if something had been shoved up into his anus.

Teoh’s younger sister Lee Lan, who was in court with Meng Kee on Wednesday, said the family will wait for Azmil Muntapha to fix the post-mortem date before making arrangements for pre-exhumation prayers.

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Teoh's family to request for exhumation and second autopsy

By ALLISON LAI

MALACCA: Teoh Beng Hock’s family will request for his body to be exhumed, enabling a second autopsy to be carried out by Thai pathologist Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand.

Gobind Singh Deo, lawyer for Teoh’s family said an application for the exhumation and second autopsy would most likely be filed in court on Monday.

“The family is very concerned,” he told a press conference at Teoh’s family home in Alor Gajah on Sunday.

“They want to find out exactly what happened to Teoh.”

Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand, had last week, told the inquest into the death of political aide Teoh Beng Hock that there was an 80% probability his death was a homicide.

She said it was only a 20% probability that Teoh had committed suicide.

Dr Pornthip also testified that the marks on Teoh's neck looked like he had been manually strangled.


The Selangor government had invited Dr Pornthip, the director-general of Thailand's Ministry of Justices Central Institute of Forensic Science, to give her expert opinion.

Lee Lan, 29, Teoh's younger sister and the family spokesperson said on Sunday that they had agreed to the exhumation following discussions with their legal counsel.

She said the family would also carry out a traditional Chinese ritual as a sign of respect and to appease Teoh’s soul before the body is exhumed.

She said the family was initially uneasy about exhuming her brother’s body.

“Actually, if it is possible, we don’t wish to do this but in this case, we are determined to find out the truth,” she said, adding that the family decided to give the go ahead to their lawyer Gobind Singh Deo to file the necessary court papers.

Besides the legal aspects, she said her family had also discussed the need to carry out the pre-exhumation rituals according to Chinese customs and beliefs.

“We (the family) will attend the exhumation as we have to take part in the ritual ceremony prior to it,” she said.

According to traditional Chinese beliefs, the soul of a departed is said to come back, sometimes, and visit the family either through dreams or as an apparition.

Teoh’s family claimed that he had appeared to several relatives in their dreams on the day after rituals to mark the 7th and 49th day of his death.

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Teoh inquest: 80pc chance of homicide, says Thai expert

SHAH ALAM: There is an 80% chance that the death of political aide Teoh Beng Hock was caused by homicide, the coroner’s court was told Wednesday.

Based on her examination of the autopsy reports and pictures of the site, Thai pathologist Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand said she believed there is only a 20% chance that Teoh had committed suicide.

Testifying at the inquest into Teoh’s death, Dr Pornthip said that not all injuries on the body were consistent with a fall from a height.

She said that marks around his neck could mean that he was strangled, while the injury to his anus was caused by penetration with an object before his fall.

His skull fracture was not typical of an injury from a fall but was more compatible with blunt force being applied directly to the skull, she said.

She said that Teoh was probably alive when he hit the ground but may have been unconscious before the fall.


Dr Pornthip told court she has conducted more than 10,000 autopsies, of which about 100 dealt with fatal falls from a high place.

She put the time of death at between 6am and 8am, July 16.

The renowned and flamboyant Dr Pornthip is the director and co-founder of the Thai Justice Ministry’s Central Institute of Forensic Science.

She is well-known for her prowess in cracking open complicated homicide cases and is a celebrity of sorts in her homeland.

She is the author of Investigation of Corpses which sold 100,000 copies in Thailand, and also led a group of international forensic scientists in 2004 to identify the remains of the Asian tsunami victims.

Her life and work was narrated in a National Geographic documentary entitled Crime Scene Bangkok in 2004.

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Evaluation put off because hospital refused witness

KUALA LUMPUR: The scheduled psychiatric evaluation of Teoh Beng Hock’s family was postponed because the hospital refused to allow a witness to accompany them during the interviews.

Lawyer and Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng, who represented the Teohs said the family wanted to know why they were refused a witness during the evaluation at the Selayang hospital yesterday.

He added that Teoh’s family lawyer at the on-going inquest, Gobind Singh Deo, had informed the family that the coroner had imposed two conditions before the interview; each interviewee can be accompanied by a family member or a lawyer.

“We were told that the interviewees had to be isolated and only the doctors were allowed,” Lim told reporters after leaving the hospital complex.

The family had requested for a copy of the interview transcript. However, their request was denied by the hospital along with their request for a copy of the audio recordings of the interview.

“We are asking all this to ensure transparency during the meeting with the three doctors,” he added.

Teoh’s sister, Lee Lan, was disappointed with the outcome of the sheduled evaluation, which involved Teoh’s wife, Soh Cher Wei, father Teoh Leng Hwee, mother Teng Shuw Hor and brother Meng Kee.

“The hospital and the court did not give us a clear idea as to how this should be done. We travelled all the way from Alor Gajah only to find out that it will end this way,” Lee Lan said.

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MACC man admits telling officers not to probe cause of aide’s death, too

By WANI MUTHIAH

SHAH ALAM: A top-ranking Selangor Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officer admitted he told his subordinate not to lodge a police report after political aide Teoh Beng Hock was found dead on July 16.

“I told him (investigating officer Mohd Anuar Ismail) that Teoh was not under our control and had been told to go home after his statement was recorded. His body was also not found in the MACC office,” state MACC deputy director Hishamuddin Hashim told the inquest into Teoh’s death.

He said he would have made the police report himself if the incident had occurred in the MACC office.


Teoh, 30, who was the political secretary to Selangor exco member Ean Yong Hian Wah, was summoned to the state MACC office at the 14th floor of Plaza Masalam here on July 15 for questioning over alleged irregularities in the disbursement of state funds.

He was found dead on the building’s fifth floor the following day.

Questioned by counsel Gobind Singh Deo, who is holding a watching brief for Teoh’s family, Hishamuddin admitted he had told his officers not to investigate what may have led to Teoh’s death.

“The MACC’s reputation is on the line and you didn’t care? Is that what you are saying?

“I put it to you that you didn’t want to know what had happened because of the actions of the MACC officers. You are responsible for Teoh’s death,” said Gobind.

Hishamuddin disagreed and when questioned further admitted he had not gone down to where Teoh’s body was found sprawled.

Gobind: Were you not interested in seeing the body?

Hishamuddin: No.

Hishamuddin also testified that witnesses were not allowed to leave at will even if they had come voluntarily.

However, Hishamuddin said they could get permission to go home in the event of an emergency.

Meanwhile, state MACC investigation unit head Hairul Ilham Hamzah testified that he and Mohd Anuar had found Teoh’s cell phone and bag when they went around the office looking for him on July 16.

Gobind: Did you try to contact him?

Hairul Ilham: No.

Gobind: Why not? It was strange that you couldn’t find him.

When Gobind pointed out the MACC had Teoh’s office contact details, Hairul Ilham said it hadn’t occurred him to do so, adding that his mind had gone blank when he heard that Teoh’s body had been found.

Hairul Ilham disagreed with Gobind that he had not called Teoh since he knew what had happened.

Counsel holding a watching brief for the MACC, Datuk Abdul Razak Musa, also tendered Teoh’s two bank account statements as exhibits.

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Teoh Inquest: DNA sample identified

By WANI MUTHIAH and NURBAITI HAMDAN

SHAH ALAM: The inquest into the death of political aide Teoh Beng Hock was told Thursday that one of the unknown male DNA samples found on the deceased’s belt and jacket has been identified.

Tan Hock Chuan, who is the counsel appointed by the Government to assist Coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas, said DNA expert Dr Seah Lay Hong would be revealing the identity of the person.

Dr Seah, who is attached to the Chemistry Department, is scheduled to testify Friday regarding the identity of the individual known as “Male 1.”

Teoh, 30, the political secretary to Selangor executive councilor Ean Yong Hian Wah, was summoned to the Selangor Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) office on the 14th floor of Plaza Masalam here on July 15 to be queried over the alleged disbursement of state funds.

He was found dead at the building’s fifth floor service corridor the following day.

During the inquest Thursday, Teoh’s brother Teoh Meng Kee and close friend Woo Chuan Sing took the stand.

Meng Kee testified his brother did not have any health or financial problems.

Lawyer Gobind Singh Deo, holding a watching brief for Teoh’s family, asked Meng Kee, “Do you know if there are any reasons whatsoever that your brother Teoh Beng Hock would want to commit suicide?”

“No,” said Meng Kee.

He also agreed with counsel Datuk Abd Razak Musa, who is holding a watching brief for the MACC, that Teoh had hastened his marriage because his girlfriend Soh Cher Wei was pregnant.

Abd Razak also told Meng Kee that Teoh earned a monthly salary of RM1, 800.

“Do you agree that Chinese weddings cost a lot of money?” said Abd Razak.


“It depends,” said Meng Kee.

“How much is the rough cost?” said Abd Razak.

“It can be less than RM20,000 sometimes,” Meng Kee said.

Abd Razak then suggested that Teoh was forced to expedite the wedding due to Soh’s pregnancy and did not have much savings to pay for the event.

“He had savings and we, as his siblings, would have helped him,” Meng Kee said.

Woo testified that Teoh had SMSed and asked him to be his best man on the day he was summoned by the MACC.

During the inquest Thursday, there was also a heated exchange of words between Gobind and Tan over the summoning of witnesses.

Counsel holding a watching brief for the Selangor state government Malik Imtiaz Sarwar said his party would be calling Selangor MACC deputy director Hishamuddin Hashim and head of investigation unit Hairul Ilham Hamzah.

Malik Imtiaz added that renowned Thai pathologist Dr Porntip Rojanasunan had also said that she would be available on Oct 20 and 21, or Oct 27 and 28.

Tan will also submit the questions prepared by two forensic psychiatrists scheduled to interview Teoh’s family to determine his state of mind prior to his death.

Azmil Muntapha will decide the relevance of the questions to the inquest and rule whether or not Teoh’s family need to attend the interview.

See below for what transpired in proceedings Thursday:

4.06pm: Bulkini Paharudin of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission is released.

Court is adjourned to Friday morning.

4.05pm: Witness No 22, Bulkini Paharudin of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, takes the stand again. He is asked to identify Kajang municipal councillor Tan Boon Wah, who was taken in for questioning the same day as Teoh Beng Hock.

Bulkini identifies Tan.

4pm: Bulkini Paharudin of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission takes the stand again. He previously took the stand on Sept 17.

3.55pm: War of words erupts between Gobind Singh Deo, the counsel holding a watching brief for Teoh’s family, and Government-appointed counsel Tan Hock Chuan, over the priority of witnesses taking the stand.

3.46pm: Gobind Singh Deo, the counsel holding a watching brief for Teoh’s family, says he has two witnesses from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), Hishamuddin and Hairul Ilham, to take the stand.

Both these names have been consistently mentioned by MACC witnesses throughout the inquest.

3.45pm: Lawyers and coroners hold a discussion to fix a date for Dr Seah Lay Hong to take the stand.

3.40pm: Government-appointed counsel Tan Hock Chuan tells Coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas that the DNA sample of “Male 1” has been identified by ninth witness Dr Seah Lay Hong, a serology and DNA specialist.

Tan says Dr Seah is ready to take the stand with her evidence.

3.34pm: Teoh Beng Hock’s best friend Woo Chuan Sing is released from the stand.

3.31pm: Coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas begins questioning Woo Chuan Sing, who says, “I am one of Beng Hock’s good friends.”

He says he does not know of any problems that Beng Hock may have faced.

3.26pm: Malik Imtiaz Mawar, acting for the Selangor Government, begins questioning Teoh Beng Hock’s best friend Woo Chuan Sing.

Woo confirms the record of a telephone call received on his handphone from Beng Hock.

3.25pm: Teoh Beng Hock’s best friend Woo Chuan Sing takes the stand as the 25th witness.

To questioning from government-appointed counsel Tan Hock Chuan, who is assisting Coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas, Woo says Beng Hock SMSed him inviting him to be the best man at his wedding on Oct 3.

3.16pm: To a question by Coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas, Teoh Meng Kee says his brother Beng Hock never received medical treatment nor had he any medical problems.

Meng Kee says he does not know why Beng Hock went into politics.

Meng Kee is released from the stand.

3.13pm: MACC lawyer Datuk Abd Razak Musa asks Beng Hock’s brother Teoh Meng Kee whether he knows how much it would cost to hold a Chinese wedding ceremony, complete with dinner, luxury car, etc.

Meng Kee says, “perhaps about RM20,000.”

Abd Razak suggests that Beng Hock did not have that kind of money to spend on a wedding on his monthly salary of RM1,800.

Meng Kee says that Beng Hock had savings, although he admits he does not know how much.

3.09pm: Teoh Meng Kee says he does not know what his brother Beng Hock’s monthly income was.

MACC lawyer Datuk Abd Razak Musa: Do you know that Beng Hock earned a gaji bersih (take-home pay) of RM1,800 a month?

Meng Kee: No, I don’t.

3.06pm: During cross-examination by MACC lawyer Datuk Abd Razak Musa, Teoh Beng Hock’s brother Meng Kee agrees with Abd Razak’s suggestion that Beng Hock was making marriage plans at a rather early age because his girlfriend Soh Cher Wei was pregnant.

3.04pm: Datuk Abd Razak Musa, acting for the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), begins his cross-examination.

3pm: Teoh Meng Kee says he was notified of his brother Beng Hock’s death by his younger sister Li Lan at about 5pm on July 16. He said he went immediately to Plaza Masalam in Shah Alam.

2.55pm: Teoh Meng Kee says his brother Beng Hock has never mentioned problem to his family before his death.

2.51pm: Teoh Meng Kee tells of his brother Beng Hock’s plans to organise a wedding dinner on Oct 3. He describes Beng Hock as being “full of love and helpful.

2.42pm: Teoh Beng Hock’s brother, Teoh Meng Kee, a 33-year-old warehouse manager takes the stand.

He is the second of four siblings, while Beng Hock was the fourth. Meng Kee, wearing black pants and a light-blue t-shirt, appears calm as he answers questions.

2.40pm: Day 22 of the Teoh Beng Hock inquest begins with his brother Teoh Meng Kee being called to the stand.

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Teoh’s fiancee starts blog to share views on life and death

IPOH: Teoh Beng Hock’s fiancee has entered the blogosphere to express her feelings and views on life and death.

Soh Cher Wei, whose blog “Don’t Say Goodbye” (http://sohcherwei.blogspot.com/), has just published a poem-like post which describes how she has been coping after his death.

Soh wrote that the two of them had been unlucky as those with self-interests had treated them like pawns in a game of chess.

“In the end, you are blamed (and) you are also gone forever,” she said.

She noted that it would be better for Teoh to be living “in the other world” than here.

She said she was only putting up a brave front now so as not to let others worry about her.


“The right to choose is not within my hands from the start. I have no option to say ‘No’, I have no right to object. I could only obey and follow the given path. I have no choice at all,” she wrote in the Mandarin blog.

In the Sept 23 entry, entitled “Am I Happy?”, Soh said with the people around her at ease, she would feel less sorry for herself.

Soh lamented that no one could provide her with an answer.

Despite all these upheavals, Soh gave her word that she would not commit suicide as she did not want to end up in hell, never to be reincarnated.

“We will then be apart as you are in heaven,” she wrote.

Before she ended, Soh said she would be reunited with Teoh after his death was avenged.

“Only death by old age awaits me now,” she said.

A check yesterday found that the blog had garnered 57 comments, mostly words of encouragement.

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Officer: I did not hear people arguing

By WANI MUTHIAH and NURBAITI HAMDAN

SHAH ALAM: A Selangor Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officer testified that he did not hear people arguing at his office toilet on July 16 – the day Teoh Beng Hock’s body was found.

Mohd Najeib Ahmad Walad, the state MACC assistant enforcement officer, told the inquest into Teoh’s death that he was at the office until 2.30am on that day and the atmosphere had been calm.

His testimony clearly contradicted that of his superior officer Mohd Anuar Ismail on Wednesday that Teoh and Kajang Municipal Council councillor Tan Boon Hwa had apparently argued.

Mohd Anuar, who is the investigating officer of the case, had testified that his colleague Bulkini Paharudin told him Teoh had an argument with Tan at the men’s room at 2am that day.

Teoh, who is the political aide to Selangor executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah, was taken to the MACC office on the 14th floor of Plaza Masalam here on July 15 to be questioned over alleged irregular disbursement of state funds. He was found dead on the fifth floor the next day.

Mohd Najeib told coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas that Teoh looked uncomfortable and worried when MACC officers paid Ean Yong’s office an impromptu visit on July 15.

Teoh, he said, also appeared troubled while waiting to be questioned at one of the MACC office’s lounge areas.

Questioned by Gobind Singh Deo, who is holding a watching brief for Teoh’s family, on how he knew that Teoh was worried, he said: “From his body language and facial expression. He was uncomfortable with the MACC officers.”

Gobind: So, if given a chance, he would have left?

Mohd Najeib: I don’t know.

On whether he had asked Teoh why he looked uncomfortable, Mohd Najeib replied he did not care and that it was probably due to his mood that day.

However, he said he would have attended to Teoh if he had complained about something to him.

Asked if force was usually used against those under questioning, he said: “As far as I know, no”.

Gobind: So, are you saying there may be but you don’t know?

Mohd Najeib: Yes.

Replying to counsel holding a watching brief for Ean Yong, Salim Bashir, he agreed that he and his colleagues had not obtained a search warrant before going to the executive councillor’s office.

Salim: Do you agree that it would make them uncomfortable, as they were not prepared to welcome the MACC?

Mohd Najeib: No.

He also said there were no verification documents to prove that several invoices printed by him had come from Teoh’s laptop.

There was no standing order or procedure when checking computers during investigations, he added.

Replying to Gobind earlier, Mohd Najeib admitted he did not remember the password to Teoh’s laptop.

Teoh, he said, had typed in the password himself and had only given him the password to access the CPU seized from his office.

Gobind: So, now if you want to go back to the laptop, you can’t?

Mohd Najeib: I can’t.

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Teoh Inquest: Officer asleep during interrogation

By WANI MUTHIAH and NURBAITI HAMDAN

SHAH ALAM: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigating officer in charge of the case involving Teoh Beng Hock admitted that he would not know if the political aide was threatened when he was questioned by the officers.

Mohd Anuar Ismail said this was because he had been asleep most of the time when his subordinates interrogated Teoh in the early hours of July 16.

He said this at the inquest into Teoh’s death when he was cross-examined by counsel Gobind Singh Deo, who is holding a watching brief for Teoh’s family.

Gobind: During your snooze, you didn’t know what was going on?

Mohd Anuar: The officers briefed me.

Gobind: When you were sleeping, you didn’t know whether there were threats.

Mohd Anuar: I didn’t know.



Teoh, the political secretary to Selangor executive councilor Ean Yong Hian Wah had been summoned to the MACC office at the 14th floor of Plaza Masalam here on July 15 to be questioned over the alleged irregular disbursement of state allocations. He was found dead on the fifth floor the following day.

Mohd Anuar said he did not lodge a report after discovering that Teoh had died but rushed to Putrajaya to consult with his superiors.

Gobind: Your star witness is dead and you didn’t make a police report but got into your car and rushed to Putrajaya? Why did you not call the police?

Mohd Anuar: The situation was panicky as there was a dead person.

Mohd Anuar, 32, also said he had been instructed to go to Putrajaya for further instructions as well as to lodge a police report on July 17 by the Selangor MACC deputy director Hishamuddin Hashim.

Gobind, who wanted to know why Mohd Anuar had left Teoh’s remains “lying there” without even informing the latter’s family, lawyer or boss, suggested he may have done so as there was “something to hide or remove” from the scene.

“I do not agree,” Mohd Anuar replied.


Earlier in the day, Mohd Anuar testified that he did not probe Teoh on his condition during the questioning session with MACC officer Mohd Nadzri Ibrahim at 2am as there was no need to do so.

However, Mohd Anuar who admitted he had gone back to sleep after inquiring if everything was alright, said he noticed that Teoh appeared to be uncomfortable and withholding something when his statement was being recorded.

Mohd Anuar added that he had asked Teoh if everything was okay but Teoh had kept mum.

Asked why he had not tried to find out why Teoh had kept silent and appeared uncomfortable, Mohd Anuar said it had not occurred to him to so.

Gobind also said Teoh’s lawyer M. Manoharan had waited at the MACC office for an hour on July 15 but no one came out to speak to him.

To this, Mohd Anuar said he was not aware that Manoharan had come to the MACC office that day.

On why the questioning had to be carried out throughout the night, Mohd Anuar replied that there was urgency in conducting Teoh’s case given the wide media coverage it had received.

Gobind asked: “You were directed to bring them in and get a confession?”

Mohd Anuar admitted that he had been instructed to do so by Hishamuddin and MACC head of investigation unit Hairul Ilham Hamzah.

The inquest continues today before coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas.

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Teoh Inquest: Letter names officer and BN leader

By WANI MUTHIAH

KLANG: The mysterious letter which derailed the Teoh Beng Hock inquest on Wednesday purportedly implicates a top-ranking Selangor Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officer and a state Barisan Nasional leader in the mishap.

The letter, which was published in several news portals, was allegedly written by lower-ranking MACC officers, accusing the two men of having conspired to topple the Selangor government by conducting a witch-hunt of its leaders, which indirectly resulted in Teoh’s tragic death.

It also accused the MACC officer of having protected the politician when he was in power before the Pakatan Rakyat coalition took over Selangor.

According to the letter, the officer had received many kickbacks as payment for his service to the politician.

Counsel representing Teoh’s family, Gobind Singh Deo, tendered in the letter to the coroner after informing him that an individual had handed it to him on Tuesday.

One incriminating accusation in the letter is about the method the officer used as his interrogation technique – by holding the front portion of a person’s belt and lifting him several times before shaking him.

(Government forensic pathologist Dr Khairul Azman Ibrahim had opined at the inquest earlier that it was possible that Teoh had been held up by the belt as it had a tear at the buckle region.)

It also said the officer left the office on the first session DNA samples were taken from MACC officers to facilitate investigations into Teoh’s death.

The letter alleged that during the second session, the officer gave his DNA in the privacy of his office instead of the conference room where all the officers, including the state director, had assembled to be swabbed.

“Why was his DNA sample given in secrecy? Was it his own sample that was given? We MACC officers are puzzled why none of the samples extracted matched that of the mysterious male samples (found on Teoh’s blazer and belt),” the letter purportedly asked.

It also recommended that the officer be swabbed again in the presence of people who can be trusted.

The letter alleged that the officer had ordered his subordinates to wipe the window, from where Teoh is believed to have plunged to his death.

The officer was also purportedly the last person to have seen Teoh alive, as he had not punched his card when leaving the office at 6.10am on July 16th.

Meanwhile, when contacted, the politician, who was overseas, said the allegations were baseless. “I have nothing to gain by toppling the Selangor government,” he added.

“I don’t think it’s the work of MACC officers. What are they going to get by making such wild allegations?” he asked.

The inquest into Teoh’s death was adjourned to Monday.

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Mysterious MACC letter: Police asked to investigate (Update)

By CHRISTINA TAN and STEVEN DANIEL

SHAH ALAM: Coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas has instructed the police to investigate the contents of the mysterious letter that was presented at the Teoh Beng Hock inquest on Wednesday.

Selangor police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar said that he could not elaborate but added that the police have began an investigation.

The results of the investigation would be sent to the court for the inquest, he said on Friday.

The letter accuses a top-ranking Selangor Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officer and a state Barisan Nasional leader of having conspired to topple the Selangor government by conducting a witch-hunt of its leaders, which indirectly resulted in Teoh’s tragic death.

On July 15, Teoh was taken in for questioning by the MACC as a witness in its investigation into the alleged abuse of constituency funds by certain elected representatives in the state.

Teoh, 30, was the political secretary of state executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah.

Teoh’s body was found the next day on the fifth floor of the Plaza Masalam building the next day. The MACC has its office on the 14th floor of the building.

The Cabinet agreed to the inquest into the death after a public outcry.

In KUALA LUMPUR earlier Friday, MACC deputy director Datuk Abu Kassim said the Commission would have to determine if the mysterious letter presented at the inquest on Wednesday is the same as the one which has been published on numerous portals and blogs.

He said the MACC, which has yet to get a copy of the letter presented at the inquest, has to see if it is one and the same as the version which has been published online.

“If they match, we will let the police and our internal complaints board investigate,” he said.

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Teoh Inquest : Mysterious letter appears

SHAH ALAM: A letter containing 'a handful of names' with details relevant to the inquest was received by Gobind Singh Deo.

Gobind, who is holding a watching brief for political aide Teoh Beng Hock's family, said someone handed him the letter after the hearing on Tuesday.

He said the five-page typed letter had 'a handful of names' and material facts and circumstances relevant to the inquest.

He, however, said the letter was dated Aug 5.

During Wednesday's proceedings, Gobind said he wanted the letter investigated and had informed Teoh's family accordingly.

He said the letter contained explicit details of significance to the inquest.

Tan Hock Chuan, the lawyer representing the Attorney-General's Chambers, said the prosecution has no objection for further investigation to be carried out.

"All of us are interested to know the truth. These are allegations that must be investigated by police. Let the police investigate to verify the truth or otherwise of the allegations."

It is learnt that the coroner and all interested parties viewed the letter earlier in the afternoon.

The inquest then adjourned to Monday afternoon.

Here is an account of what transpired in the court:

3.50pm: Outside the courtroom Gobind told reporters the letter was typed in "five to six pages." He says it was handed to him by someone who approached him outside the court yesterday. However, the letter was dated Aug 5.

"A handful of names are mentioned in the letter," he said.

3.45pm: The inquest adjourns to Monday afternoon.

3.25pm: Gobind says matters raised in the letter clearly relate to material facts and circumstances relevant to the inquest.

He says he is making an application to the court for the letter to be investigated and has informed Teoh's family accordingly.

Tan Hock Chuan, for the Attorney-General's Chambers, said the prosecution has no objection for further investigation to be carried out. "All of us are interested to know the truth. These are allegations that must be investigated by police. Let the police investigate to verify the truth or otherwise of the allegations."

It is learnt that the coroner and all interested parties viewed the letter earlier in the afternoon.

3.20pm: Gobind said a letter was handed to him after yesterday's proceedings. He said the letter contained explicit details which are of significance to the inquest.

3.15pm: Gobind Singh Deo says Teoh's family is in the court. He said there is a new development to the case.

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Teoh Inquest: Focus on facial injuries

By WANI MUTHIAH

SHAH ALAM: Teoh Beng Hock had facial injuries and it is possible that they were caused by beating, an inquest into his death was told.

Dr Khairul Azman Ibrahim, the Klang Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital (HTAR) senior consultant pathologist, also said the political aide had injuries in his anus, adding it was possible that such an injury could have been caused when he was beaten with a blunt wooden object.

Replying to counsel representing the Selangor government Malik Imtiaz Sarwar on the facial injuries, he said it was possible it was due to a beating.

Malik Imtiaz had suggested to Dr Khairul Azman that if the facial injuries were caused by Teoh’s fall from the 14th floor of Plaza Masalam, it depended on how he landed onto the building’s fifth floor service corridor.

Teoh had severe multiple injuries which included a perforated anus, broken ribs, fractured ribs, limbs, and skull as well as various bruises and lacerations.

Probed by Malik Imtiaz over the anal injury, Dr Khairul Azman said the injury could have occurred as Teoh’s sacrum bone (located at the base of the spine) was fractured in the fall.

(Caption: Ready for court: Dr Khairul Azman arriving at the witness room at the Shah Alam court for Teoh Beng Hock’s inquest Monday.)

Malik Imtiaz: Is it possible for the anal injuries to have occurred before the fall and made worse by the fall?

Dr Khairul Azman: Possible.

Malik Imtiaz: Is it possible that this can be seen as a penetration wound?

Dr Khairul Azman, who admitted he had not carried out specific examinations to determine if the rectum was transacted or lacerated, again said the injury could be due to a fragmented sacrum bone.

He added that the trousers would have had a hole instead of a tear if it was indeed a penetration wound.

Malik Imtiaz: What if when this was done, the trousers were taken off?

Dr Khairul Azman: There would be bleeding.

Malik Imtiaz: There was bleeding?

Dr Khairul Azman: Yes.

Earlier, Dr Khairul Azman, replying to counsel Gobind Singh Deo, who is holding a watching brief for Teoh’s family, said such an injury could also be caused when beaten with a blunt wooden object.

Gobind: If he was hit with a blunt and flat object, is it a possibility that he did not have his pants on at the time?

Dr Khairul Azman: Yes, possible.

To whether the injuries could have occurred if one fell from a high altitude and landed flat, Dr Khairul Azman said the injury would have occurred when the posterior took a very hard knock upon landing.

Gobind: In that case the theory that injury was on the right leg does not makes sense.

(Last week, Dr Khairul Azman said Teoh could have landed on his feet with the right leg taking the bulk of the impact.)

To Malik Imtiaz’s question on whether he could say whether there were injuries before the fall, he said: “If there’s evidence such as blood or any other clear signs, only then can I say there is a possibility that it is a homicide.”

Malik Imtiaz also asked if the scratches on Teohs hands resembled fingernail marks.

Dr Khairul Azman said that there was a possibility.

Malik Imtiaz: Is it possible that when he was being held out of the window to scare him, and as he fell, someone grabbed him by the hand and the watch came off, because we never found the watch. Is there a possibility?

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Doc: I did not speak to MACC officers

SHAH ALAM: A senior government pathologist testified that he interviewed Teoh Beng Hock’s family but admitted that he did not speak to any Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission officers to help formulate his opinion.

Dr Khairul Azman Ibrahim told the inquest into the political aide’s death that he had interviewed the relatives to have a better understanding of what may have happened on the day he died.

He said he spoke to Teoh’s elder brother, younger sister and fiance to know when was the last time they saw him alive.

Replying to counsel Gobind Singh Deo, who is keeping a watching brief for Teoh’s family, Dr Khairul Azman said he had wanted to know Teoh’s state of mind and if he had suicidal tendencies.

“Did you ask the family if he had psychological problems, medical problems, drinking, alcohol and smoking problems?” asked Gobind. “Yes, he had none,” Dr Khairul Azman said.

He said Teoh’s brother told him that his brother was an open person who liked to discuss things.

When Dr Khairul Azman insinuated that Teoh might have been embarrassed for making a mistake, Gobind said: “Be careful. You don’t know from the background.

“There’s no reason for him to commit suicide. What about the other aspect of him being murdered? Isn’t it equally important to question the MACC officers as well?”

Dr Khairul Azman replied that it was the duty of the police to speak with the MACC officers.

When Gobind said he was not in a position to rule out the possibility of a homicide as he did not probe the MACC officers, Dr Khairul Azman said: “I do not have proof to support that a homicide had taken place.”

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He may have been alive momentarily

SHAH ALAM: Teoh Beng Hock may have been alive momentarily when he landed on the fifth floor service corridor of Plaza Masalam after falling from the 14th floor.

This was revealed when counsel representing the Bar Council Rajpal Singh questioned forensic pathologist Dr Khairul Azman Ibrahim about Teoh’s palms, which were clenched.

“Maybe he was in pain. It is possible he was alive and felt intense pain and clenched his fists before he died,” Dr Khairul Azman told the inquest into Teoh’s death.

Rajpal asked Dr Khairul Azman if there was a possibility that Teoh was semi-conscious when he fell as he had not bitten or bruised his tongue due to impact of the fall.

Earlier, counsel representing the Selangor government Malik Imtiaz Sarwar showed Dr Khairul Azman a picture of Teoh’s left hand and asked whether it indicated cadaveric spasm.

(Cadaveric spasm is a type of stiffening of the muscles that occurs at the moment of death and is usually associated with violent deaths.)

Dr Khairul Azman said there was a possibility that it was, adding that Teoh may have also tried to grab on to something when falling.

Malik Imtiaz: Are you suggesting that he was conscious when he fell?

Dr Khairul Azman: Yes, there are signs.

Malik Imtiaz: Based on the fracture report, there doesn’t seem to be any injury to the wrists. Is there a possibility that there were no reaction?

Dr Khairul Azman: Possibly.

Questioned by counsel Gobind Singh Deo, Dr Khairul Azman said Teoh’s remains were found “a good distance away” from the window as evidence indicated that he had jumped off the building.

“We have to consider several things. If there were a struggle, there would have been signs. If pushed, he would have plunged straight down and not at the distance his body was found.”

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Teoh Inquest Day 9: 'Facial injuries may be due to beating'

02:00pm: Inquest adjourns to Tuesday morning after intense questioning of the various injuries noted in the post mortem.

12:49pm: Malik Imtiaz put forward a hypothesis; that Teoh was surrounded by individuals - a form of scare tactic - before he fell. When he fell someone grabbed his hand and snapped his wristwatch as the watch is yet to be found.

Malik: Is there a possibility that the scratches on Teoh's wrist could have been caused by someone who held the wrist with the watch?

Khairul: Yes, there is a possibility

12:25pm: Dr Khairul says there is a possibility that the injuries on Teoh's face could have been caused by beating.

11:47am: To a question by Malik, Dr Khairul says that Teoh was conscious when he fell, based on spasm signs in his left hand. This indicates he had tried to grab something when he fell.

11.33am: Court resumes. Khairul takes stand again. Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, representing Selangor government is questioning him.

10:47am: Coroner's court takes a break.

10:10am: Dr Khairul complains to Coroner that Gobind is "playing with words", after persistent questioning by Gobind. Gobind retorts that he asked straight questions five times but did not get straight answers.

10:00am: Gobind says that as Dr Khairul had not interviewed MACC officers, he was not privy to evidence that excluded the possibility of homicide. But Dr Khairul insists that there was no evidence of homicide.

09:50am: Gobind asks Dr Khairul why he did not question MACC officers. Dr Khairul responded that it was not his job and he relied on information from the police.

09:40am: Dr Khairul says he questioned three of Teoh's family members - brother, younger sister and fiance - to determine if Teoh had any psychological, medical, drug or smoking problem. The family members had told him that Teoh did not have any of those problems.

09:31am: Dr Khairul agrees with Gobind's suggestion that a psychological background check on Teoh was important to determine if the cause of death was suicide.

09:15am: 10th witness Dr Khairul Azman Ibrahim, senior consultant from Forensic Department of Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah, Klang, takes the stand again and is examined by Gobind Singh Deo.

09:13am: Coroner’s court convenes for ninth day of inquest.

SHAH ALAM: The inquest into the death of Teoh Beng Hock enters its ninth day.

Teoh, 30, who was political secretary to Selangor executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah, was found dead on July 16 on the fifth floor corridor of Plaza Masalam, after giving a statement in an investigation into alleged abuse of state government funds.

The Coroner is Azmil Mustapha Abas and Tan Hock Chuan is the lawyer appointed by the Government to assist the Coroner.

Gobind Singh Deo is holding a watching brief for Teoh’s family while Malik Imtiaz Sarwar is representing the Selangor government.

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Tea ceremony formally welcomes Soh into Teoh’s family

Story and picture by CHEN PELF YEEN

ALOR GAJAH: Family members of Teoh Beng Hock and his 28-year-old fiancee Soh Cher Wei partook in a traditional Chinese tea ceremony to formally recognise her as his wife.

The solemn ceremony, which began at 11am, at Teoh’s home in Taman Sri Kelemak, Alor Gajah, yesterday, saw both elation and grief from the two families.

Soh, who is currently in the first trimester of her pregnancy, was seen quietly sobbing as she offered tea to Teoh’s parents seated before her.

She then served tea to other senior members of Teoh’s family at the small and private ceremony attended only by close relatives.

Earlier, as part of the ceremony, Soh had also offered prayers to Teoh’s ancestors.


Teoh’s siblings later presented Soh with a gold ring and bracelet, which his younger sister Lee Lan, 29, helped to put on.

When met later, Soh, who had recently cut her hair short, said she had not dreamt of Teoh or his spirit returning to visit her since his death.

“No, I have not dreamt of him. I suppose he has not returned to visit me as he might be feeling guilty for leaving me,” she said, adding that she wished he would return to tell her the truth behind his death.

“I decided to cut my hair short to begin a new life,” she said, adding that she had since moved back to her family in Batu Pahat, Johor, and was now teaching in a Chinese primary school in Ayer Hitam.

Soh said both Teoh and her had picked Oct 3, which is also the date of the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival for their wedding, before his death on July 16.

Former Kota Melaka MP Kerk Kim Hock, who is related to Teoh’s family, clarified that the ceremony was not the traditional Chinese afterworld wedding that Soh had earlier expressed her wish for.

“This is just a simple and meaningful ceremony to mark the recognition and acceptance of Soh as the daughter-in-law of the Teoh family,” he said, adding that both families had also agreed for their relationship to be recognised through the ceremony.

Teoh, who was the political secretary to Selangor exco member Ean Yong Hian Wah, died on July 16 after falling from the 14th floor of Plaza Masalam in Shah Alam, where the state Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission office was located.

He died hours after being interviewed by MACC officers as a witness in an investigation into the disbursement of state funds.

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Gobind tears into suicide theory

SHAH ALAM: A lawyer challenged a suggestion by a senior forensic pathologist that Teoh Beng Hock may have committed suicide.

Gobind Singh Deo, who is holding a watching brief for the political aide’s family, suggested that Dr Khairul Azman Ibrahim was not able to factually support his contention on the possible cause of Teoh’s death.

Gobind, who stood after government-appointed counsel Tan Hock Chuan had completed questioning Dr Khairul Azman, asked the forensic pathologist if he had measured Teoh’s feet.

When he said he did not as this was not needed in the case, Gobind asked: “So, you couldn’t tell if his shoes were too loose for him as you didn’t measure his feet. In this particular case the shoe was found far away from the body. How far was it?

(Teohs right shoe was off his feet when his remains were found.)

“I didn’t measure,” Dr Khairul Azman, who is a consultant pathologist with Klang Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital, said.

Gobind: It’s good to measure isn’t it? You cannot tell us how the shoe got there. You are in no position to tell us!

Dr Khairul Azman: It could have come off when he fell.

Gobind then said that logically, if the shoe was tight, this would not have happened.

When he asked if there was a possibility that Teoh was thrown out first and then the shoe, Dr Khairul Azman replied: “Yes, there is a possibility.”

Gobind: In that case, it is indicative of a homicide. Did you address that possibility?

Dr Khairul Azman: Yes, there is a possibility.

Gobind: Did you test the shoe for fingerprints? Dr Khairul Azman: No

Gobind: Is it significant?

Dr Khairul Azman: Yes

Gobind: Why didn’t you do it?

Dr Khairul Azman: I expected the police to do it.

Gobind: But you didn’t get them to do it because it would have indicated a homicide. Were you covering it up?

Dr Khairul Azman: No, I am not covering up.

Gobind then asked Dr Khairul Azman how he reckoned Teoh had come out of the window and the pathologist stepped out of the witness stand and demonstrated how he thought Teoh had jumped.

(While doing so, he demonstrated how he thought Teoh would have stood on the bottom ledge and gripped its top ledge.)

When Gobind asked Dr Khairul Azman if there would have been shoe prints or hand prints on the window frame if Teoh had jumped off in that manner, the pathologist agreed, adding that there was a possibility the footprints were not noticed.

“You said in your theory that he stood there and jumped. You went there, there were no footprints,” Gobing pointed out.

He suggested that Dr Khairul Azman had given theories that he could not support with facts.

“In this case your theory is demolished. It was not suicide, sir. Your theories come to naught. You are wrong!” said Gobind.

Dr Khairul Azman said he did not agree as one of the reasons there was no footprints was because Teoh had walked on the carpeted floor which had no dust.

Gobind: But you didn’t check.

Dr Khairul Azman: No.

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Pathologist: Teoh may have jumped

By WANI MUTHIAH

SHAH ALAM: Teoh Beng Hock may have committed suicide by jumping out of a 14th floor window of the Plaza Masalam here, a forensic pathologist told the inquest into his death.

Dr Khairul Azman Ibrahim, the Klang Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital (HTAR) senior consultant pathologist, said there were signs indicating Teoh may have deliberately jumped out of the Selangor Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commissions (MACC) office last month.

He was replying to questions posed by government-appointed counsel Tan Hock Chuan on whether Teoh’s death was a homicide, accident or suicide.

Tan: In your opinion based on the post-mortem results, visits to the scene of the incident on July 16 and 22, toxicology and DNA results; is it likely the death of the deceased was a suicide?

Dr Khairul Azman: In my opinion there are signs which indicate this.

Firstly there were no clear signs of a struggle, no bloodstains or things strewn around on the floor, he said.

“A pen (an MACC pen) was also intact in his pocket and there were no MACC officers’ DNA detected in the DNA tests (carried out on his blazer and belt). His injuries did not show any struggle and were consistent with a fall from a high place,” he said.


Dr Khairul Azman also said the death could not have been accidental as “it is highly unlikely for someone with a conscious state of mind to slip and fall while standing by the window”.

“This is because the area is not slippery and is carpeted. However, if going on a probability, we can still think about it because it could happen if the deceased had tried to open the window as wide as possible while feeling sleepy,” said Dr Khairul Azman.

However, he noted that the argument that Teoh had accidentally fallen or slipped and plunged out of the window could be challenged due to the height of the window shoulder, which was about waist high.

“In the event he had fallen, there is a great possibility the deceased would have landed head first or body first,” he said. Forensic investigations indicated Teoh had landed on his feet.

Teoh, who was the political secretary to Selangor executive council member Ean Yong Hian Wah, was found dead at 1.30pm on July 16, at Plaza Masalam’s fifth floor service corridor.

Dr Khairul Azman also ruled out the possibility that Teoh may have suffocated or been unconscious as toxicology tests indicated he had not been under the influence of common drugs or alcohol.

DNA tests carried out on the bloodstains found on his clothes also revealed that it was his own blood, he said.

On whether Teoh could have been dragged prior to his death, Dr Khairul Azman said there was no clear signs to indicate this.

On the DNA of two unknown males found on Teoh’s belt and blazer that did not match any of the 157 people sampled, Dr Khairul Azman said it could have come from the HTAR mortuary.

“I believe it must have come from contamination when the deceased’s clothes were removed at the mortuary,” he added.

The inquest before coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas continues on Monday.

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