KUALA LUMPUR – The government will not interfere in the work of enforcement agencies, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said regarding a recent report stating that the home minister was asked to intervene in police investigations into a protest by the Teoh Beck Hock Association for Democratic Advancement.
Fahmi said according to procedure, police initiated an investigation after a report is lodged, and will continue to investigate unless the report is withdrawn.
He was referring to a report quoting Housing Minister Nga Kor Ming, who said that he had asked Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail to intervene in the investigations of a protest by the association and the sister of Teoh, Lee Lan.
“I didn’t hear exactly what Nga said. But in principle, the police will initiate investigations but do not decide whether a particular matter is brought to court or not – as that falls under the Attorney-General’s Chambers purview.
“But as far as police are concerned, they would have to continue investigating once a report is lodged, unless the report is withdrawn.
“We do not interfere in the work of enforcement agencies,” the Lembah Pantai MP told reporters after officiating a health screening event held at IWK Eco Pantai in his constituency today.
Yesterday, a report by Chinese-language news outlet Oriental Daily quoted Nga as saying that he asked his colleague from the cabinet, Saifuddin, to stop investigating the protest which is seeking justice for Teoh’s death in 2009.
Teoh, an aide to former Selangor exco Ean Yong Hian Wah, died after falling from the 14th floor of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission building in Shah Alam where he had been taken in for questioning on corruption allegations.
A coroner’s inquest in 2011 delivered an open verdict. Meanwhile, his family’s appeal against the findings ended with an inconclusive finding by the Court of Appeal as to who was actually responsible. It instead cited unknown persons who caused multiple injuries that resulted in his death.
The Teoh Beng Hock Association for Democratic Advancement was formed in October 2013, to commemorate Teoh and to advocate against political persecution, torture and human rights violations.
The association staged a protest demanding accountability for Teoh’s death in Kuala Kubu Baharu recently, in the hopes of bringing their cause to politicians campaigning in the state seat’s by-election.
The group’s chairman Ng Yap Hwa and Teoh’s sister Lee Lan are being investigated as their campaign including using posters calling Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim” a “missing prime minister” was illegal. – May 11, 2024