SHAH ALAM (July 16, 2009): The political secretary to a Selangor state executive councillor was found dead in the state Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters building today, on the eve of registering his marriage.

Teoh Beng Hock, 30, a former journalist and aide to Seri Kembangan assemblyman Ean-Yong Hian Wah, was found sprawled on the balcony of a shipping company on the fifth floor of Plaza Masalam, Section 9. He is believed to have fallen from the 14th floor.

Teoh was taken to the MACC office for questioning at 5pm on Wednesday in relation to investigation into disbursement of funds.

Federal MACC director of investigations Datuk Mohd Shukri Abdul said an MACC officer finished recording Teoh’s statement at 3.45am today. He said Teoh was allowed to go home and told to return later in the day with several documents related to a probe.

However, he said Teoh chose to remain, saying he wanted to rest in the MACC office.

Shukri said his officers showed Teoh to a room on the 14th floor where Teoh fell asleep on a couch. He said the MACC officers last saw Teoh alive at 6am when he was still asleep in the room.
Shukri said at 1.30pm, MACC officers were informed by the building security personnel that a man was found dead on the balcony.

“He (Teoh) promised to return to us later in the day with documents that we had asked for. We do not know how he could have fallen or from which floor or where he had gone after 6am,” Shukri told a press conference in the MACC headquarters at 5pm.

He said Teoh was only a witness in the probe and had not been implicated in any way to the allegations of misuse of constituency funds.

“Teoh was only questioned by one investigator and had given his full cooperation during the questioning. As I had said earlier, the probe into this case does not point to anyone.

“We received a report on the abuse of funds by Selangor assemblymen and we are only investigating to find out if it is true or otherwise,” he said.

Asked why state executive councillor Ean-Yong was not informed about Teoh’s death as soon as the body was found, Shukri said: “I am unable to answer the question. I have to ask my officers.”

Earlier, Ean-Yong, who heard about the incident from reporters who called to enquire about Teoh at 3pm, rushed to the MACC office and waited on the ground floor for more than an hour as police investigators, including a forensics team, looked for evidence on the 5th and 14th floors.

It was not until state executive councillor Ronnie Liu arrived at 4pm that both exco men went up to the MACC office, trailed by scores of journalists and photographers.

A commotion broke out and flared when Ean-Yong and Liu demanded to know the whereabouts of Teoh but MACC officers kept them in the dark.

Teoh’s death was confirmed only after Shukri called for a press conference at 5pm. His body was removed from the scene at 9pm.

Selangor CPO Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar said: “We have asked for the pathologist to conduct investigations at the scene.

We have also offered Teoh’s family to bring in their own pathologist, if they want a second opinion.

From 4pm, four pathologists from University Malaya Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur Hospital and Klang’s Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital (TARH) were called in by the police to examine Teoh’s body, said Khalid.

“We have to do this due to the sensitivity of the case and to ensure there was utmost transparency in the probe.”

The body was taken to TARH at 9.15pm and a post mortem is expected to be carried out at 9.30am tomorrow.

Khalid also said a preliminary examination on the body which was discovered by a janitor showed no suspicious injuries except for wounds consistent with a fall.

“As of now, the case is classified as sudden death. But we will leave no stone unturned and there will be no cover-up of anything for anyone, I assure (you) this.”

He said several people relevant to the case, including MACC personnel, were questioned and had their statements recorded.

About 300 people started gathering at an entrance of the MACC building on the fourth floor from 7pm, holding banners and lit candles.

Khalid said: “We are allowing them to express themselves and we will give them ample time.” At 10.30pm, about three quarters of the crowd left.

Teoh’s family members were allowed to view the body in TARH at 11.30pm.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said a thorough investigation will be carried out by the authorities on the death of Teoh.

“I have yet to receive a report on the incident but there will be a thorough investigation carried out to find out the cause of death,” he said at the National Anti- Drug Agency’s (AADK) Media Awards in Kuala Lumpur tonight.

Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, in a press conference, expressed his condolences to the family and said the police had given him an assurance that a thorough investigation will be conducted.

“They have even agreed to allow us to appoint an independent pathologist to monitor investigations into the cause of death. The state will also bear all costs for the family including funeral expenses,” he said.

Kota Alam Shah assemblyman M. Manoharan said Teoh was to register his marriage tomorrow. “It’s sad this has happened.”

“We hold the MACC fully responsible for the death ...” said Sri Andalas assemblyman Dr Xavier Jayakumar.

“There is clearly oppressive conduct because he was not allowed to have a lawyer present and interrogation was stretched into the early hours of the morning. The circumstances are suspicious,” adds Subang Jaya MP R. Sivarasa.

Selangor exco member Teresa Kok said: “There’s a lot of unanswered questions, like why he asked to stay back in the MACC office, sleep on the sofa at 3am, and roam about freely?”

Teoh, a former Sin Chew Daily reporter for three-and a-half years, was appointed Ean-Yong’s political secretary after the general election last year.

Former colleagues at the newspaper described him as a helpful, kind and optimistic man. He was an active member of the National Union of Journalists and is said to be “tough” and not likely to crack under pressure.