OCT 27 — We, the family members of Teoh Beng Hock, are deeply hurt by the statement of Nazri, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, that until today, no action has been taken against the three responsible MACC officers. More than 27 months, or 833 days, have passed since Beng Hock was found dead on the rooftop of a building adjacent to the MACC office. We have been waiting every single day for the truth to be revealed.

The RCI report clearly pointed out the three MACC officers, ie Mohd Anuar Isamil (investigation officer) “the bully”; Mohd Ashraf Mohd Yunus (assistant investigation officer) “the abuser”; and Hishammuddin Hashim (former deputy director of MACC Selangor) “the arrogant leader”, were involved in using inappropriate violence. However, three months after the report was published, the MACC set up another “special task force” to investigate the three MACC officers fingered by the RCI, indicating that the government remains suspicious and sceptical of the report.

Setting aside the question about the appropriateness and fairness of having MACC lead the special task force investigating their own officers, what we do not understand is until today, why the government still thinks the RCI report does not carry enough evidence for commencing action against these officers who have abused their power, but spends more public funds to conduct another round of investigation. We want to know then, on what basis that we, the grieving family members of the deceased, were asked to accept the findings stated in the RCI report, that Beng Hock died of forced suicide?

Who allowed this dubious “force suicide” to happen? Why have the culprits been left off the hook while we are forced to accept a conclusion that reveals no truth? Why are the MACC and government giving us the impression that there is a great reluctance on their part to take action against those MACC officers?

If Nazri himself does not accept the findings of this report, why are we requested to accept the conclusion of this report then? Why impose such soul-destroying double standards upon us? Why can the government choose not to believe but we are not allowed to refute the conclusion of that report?

If this is really being played out, isn’t then the creation of the RCI merely a waste of time and public funds as well as taking the grieving family members for a ride?

The inaction of the government not only casts serious doubt on the credibility of the RCI report but also represents a slap in the face for Tan Sri Datuk Seri James Foong Cheng Yuen, the chairman of RCI.

From the coroner’s court till the RCI, we can see endless foot-dragging manoeuvres by the government and denial of the quest for truth. Our grief does not diminish over time, but our burning desire to seek the truth continues to grow. It is painfully clear that when a person uses a lame explanation to cover another, there is great reason to believe that there is great impropriety.

The truth is already embedded in everyone’s mind.

But as the family members of the deceased, we are force to, and only empowered to pose the following questions to the government:

1.       If there is insufficient evidence, how come the RCI, proclaimed as an independent party, was not authorised to investigate further?

Following Nazri’s doubts about the report and throwing this hot potato to Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, and the Inspector General of Police, we request these authorities to be accountable to the family members and the general public by announcing their investigation procedures, timelines and persons leading the investigation.

2.       According to Nazri, the special investigation task force has already submitted a report akin to a disciplinary report to the MACC complaints committee.

We wish to ask: what are the contents of the report? When is it going to be made public so that we, the family members and general public, can obtain an explanation?

3.       According to Nazri, if there is a need to initiate a criminal indictment, the police need to reopen investigations into Beng Hock’s death.

We wish to ask: do the police have the inclination to reopen a file on Beng Hock’s death? If the answer is no, does it mean the police are reluctant to seek the truth? If they are willing to reopen a file on this matter, we wish to know when they intend to do so and when the investigation can be completed? We, the family members, have waited for 27 months and we beg for an answer now.

4.       It is evident from the RCI report that police did not conduct a proper investigation when Beng Hock died in 2009. If Nazri is throwing this hot potato to the Internal Affairs Minister, police, MACC, then who is supposed to lead the investigation and from whom should we seek answers from? If the incompetence of the government resulted in Beng Hock’s death, is our request for a proper explanation of his death an excessive demand?

* This is the Teoh family’s email response to Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz’s recent statement.