By Teoh Lee Lan
The family of Teoh Beng Hock expresses our strongest objection and protest against the allegations made by Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department director Shuhaily Zain in media reports on 15 April.
Shuhaily claimed the family’s lack of cooperation in the re-investigation has hindered police efforts.
We categorically reject this entirely unfounded, unreasonable and malicious accusation, which is clearly intended to mislead the public, distort the truth and shift blame away from the authorities.
The Kuala Lumpur High Court has expressly ordered the police to complete their investigation within six months from 21 November 2024 into the six previous re-investigations conducted over the past 16 years regarding Beng Hock’s wrongful death.
This judicial directive was issued precisely because the police investigation reports remained incomplete and unsatisfactory, failing to provide our family and the deceased with justice.
The court has mandated that the police must resolve all outstanding questions raised in the judicial review and finalise the pending investigative findings within this timeframe.
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We condemn the police for slandering our family with false claims of non-cooperation to cover up the consequences of their fundamental error in applying Section 342 (Wrongful Confinement) of the Penal Code instead of treating this as a murder case.
This is nothing but a shameful attempt to evade responsibility. Our position is based on the following facts:
This judicial review encompasses all investigations conducted over the past 16 year
It is public knowledge that our family has undergone multiple interrogations, including:
- Questioning at the Kajang Police station
- Pre-autopsy examinations by forensic pathologists
- Repeated court testimonies under oath
- Psychological evaluations by government-appointed experts
All statements, testimonies and investigation reports are already documented. The police can access these records anytime.
Director Shuhaily, what further cooperation do you require from us? With six police investigations conducted over 16 years, why is our “lack of cooperation” only being raised now as an excuse?
The evidence and facts of homicide are incontrovertible
Have the police thoroughly examined the Court of Appeal’s landmark judgment dated 5 September 2014?
The appellate court overturned the coroner’s “open verdict”, conclusively ruling out suicide or accident. Three judges unanimously determined that Beng Hock was killed by one or more persons, including Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officers involved in his detention.
Our family was not present at the crime scene. How exactly are we supposed to help police apprehend the killers?
We pursued this judicial review precisely to demand that the police provide answers to the public – who killed Beng Hock and who must be held accountable? Now the police expect us to provide these answers instead?
Autopsy report proves Beng Hock was severely injured before death
The forensic report confirms Beng Hock sustained fatal neck injuries while in custody that would have rendered him immobile or unconscious. How could someone in that condition have “fallen”?
Rather than interrogating eyewitnesses or the implicated MACC officers, the police blame our family. Is this reasonable?
MACC officers and security personnel colluded in false testimony
Their testimony was inconsistent across:
- The coroner’s inquest
- Police investigations
- The royal commission of inquiry
Both the Court of Appeal and the commission of inquiry concluded that MACC officers gave false testimony.
Why haven’t the police arrested and charged them under relevant Penal Code provisions for false statements? What cooperation do you need from us – lessons on how to conduct investigations?
Have the police answered the 10 critical questions we raised at our 24 February 2025 press conference at the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall?
On 21 June 2018, the cabinet agreed to reopen investigations, including under Section 302 (Murder) per the Court of Appeal’s judgment. On 1 August 2024, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim gave the same assurance.
Yet no substantive action has been taken.
Our request for international investigative experts was dismissed with claims of needing to “consult the IGP” (inspector general of police).
Our demands
Given the police’s erroneous application of Section 342 (Wrongful Confinement) which enabled MACC officers to evade accountability, we demand the:
- Immediate reopening of the case under Section 302 (Murder) as per the Court of Appeal’s judgment
- Arrest and detention of all implicated officers for proper interrogation
While we are appalled by the police’s transition from confidence to claiming “lack of resources”, we acknowledge their honesty about these shortcomings.
We therefore call for:
- Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and the government to intervene immediately
- The correction of the wrongful application of Section 342, by applying Section 302 (Murder) of the Penal Code to reopen the investigation
- Allocation of adequate resources and engagement of internationally renowned investigators
Justice delayed is justice denied. – Family of Teoh Beng Hock
Teoh Lee Lan is the younger sister of the late Teoh Beng Hock.
- Tegakkan maruah serta kualiti kehidupan rakyat
- Galakkan pembangunan saksama, lestari serta tangani krisis alam sekitar
- Raikan kerencaman dan keterangkuman
- Selamatkan demokrasi dan angkatkan keluhuran undang-undang
- Lawan rasuah dan kronisme
