Najib has not kept promise, says Teoh’s sister

An emotional Teoh Lee Lan speaking at the press conference this evening, January 7, 2011. — Picture by Jack Ooi

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 7 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has failed to keep his promise that Teoh Beng Hock’s family will know how he died, the slain political aide’s sister said today.

Teoh Lee Lan, 30, said she was stunned to learn Najib had today announced a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) would be set up to investigate the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for possibly violating the rights of witnesses and suspects without saying it would also look into how her brother died while in the anti-graft body’s custody.

“I am very disappointed with the announcement the RCI will only investigate MACC’s procedures.

“The RCI he announced today is the same as the one he announced last time.

“This is not the RCI we want. We want answers.

“The inquest did not give answers... Who should be responsible for his injuries?” she said while crying at a press conference here this evening.

She pointed out that the coroner had stated there were pre-fall injuries and had singled out the injury to Beng Hock’s neck.

She questioned the MACC chief’s silence now, noting Datuk Seri Abu Kassim Mohamed had previously said he would respect the inquest verdict.

Lee Lan said Najib had persuaded the family to follow the due process of the law and allow the inquest to be carried out first when they met the PM two years ago after Beng Hock died.

She said the PM personally pledged he would see to it the family will know the circumstances behind Beng Hock’s fatal fall.

She remembered witnesses testifying in the inquest that her brother had entered the MACC in good health and without any marks to his neck only to turn up dead hours after being questioned by anti-graft officials.

“They were the ones who were with Beng Hock that night.

“They are suspects.”

MACC officers had told the inquest that Beng Hock was the “star witness” in its investigation over claims Selangor executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah was misusing state funds.

Beng Hock was Ean Yong’s political secretary.

“Najib promised to give us answers. Now got RCI without investigating cause of death. What answer can we get?

“If no answer, who can tell Er Jia how come his father is not around?” she said, referring to Beng Hock’s son who was born in February last year, seven months after the fall.

“I am scared of his promises now,” Lee Lan told The Malaysian Insider later.

“Can I ask him: Should I believe you?”

- malaysianinsider