The Teoh Beng Hock Saga Part 2 : An In Depth and Thorough Chronology

by Fatimah Zuhri

ps : If you have never read part 1 which I wrote on 21 October 2009, read it here : http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=414073393412

1.        The Teoh Beng Hock (TBH) saga is no doubt one of the key issues which had stirred up the anger of some Malaysian Chinese against the current Malaysian Federal Government.

2.        Let us not kid our self here. The TBH was and is a tragic issue which was used/abused as a political tool. They believed that MACC is a Malay-UMNO institution which had been involved in the murder of their own Chinese kin.

3.        Of course these are all bunch of fantasy born out of blind hatred.

4.        How this blind hatred came to be ? What has been going on regarding the inquest? In this article I will try mybest to answer all these questions with facts. I will do my very best to present this as balance as possible (read: at least 90% of the links/sources must come from pro-Pakatan Opposition websites!). lol

5.        WHO WAS TEOH BENG HOCK ?

Teoh Beng Hock (TBH) was a political assistant to the newly elected "wakil rakyat" for Seri Kembangan (DAP) Ean Yong Hian Wah.

http://www.eanyong.com/

6.        WHY WAS TBH AT THE SELANGOR MACC BRANCH ON 16TH JULY 2009?

TBH was called by MACC as one of the many witnesses to help them to investigate the allegations of corruption against some of the DAP State Exco members. He was not treated as a suspect but as a witness.

His last day was supposedly on the 17th July 2010. The night before, he promise the MACC investigators that he will bring important documents which will verified what he had said for the past 2 days.

http://www.mmail.com.my/content/8390-death-teoh-beng-hock-qa-federal-macc-director-investigations-datuk-mohd-shukri-abdul

http://mt.m2day.org/2008/content/view/24455/84/

When his interview ended, he was invited by the MACC investigators and went along with them for a late supper before he went back to Plaza Masalam to rest on the sofa there. There he met probably the last person he saw, the Kajang Municipal Councillor, Tan Boon Wah (DAP).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7t1evGtT_Q

7.        If TBH was supposed to give MACC the important document,would it not be stupid of MACC to murder him as claimed by pro-Pakatan media/blogs?

An excellent question! However I have yet to read in MalaysiaKini or TheMalaysiaInsider, any of their journalists asking this question. Please email it to steven@malaysiakini.com or jsadiq@themalaysianinsider.com

8.        Who made the allegations which led to the investigation?

On 13 July 2009, PKR MP for Wangsa Maju wrote in his blog that some members ofthe Selangor State Excos were involved in some illegal triad activities and corruption of state funds (read: Duit RAKYAT). This revelation had angered some members of MP Wangsa Maju's own Pakatan members. Strangely most of this anger came dominantly from a single party, DAP. PKR was defending its MP and PAS was silent.

http://chunwai08.blogspot.com/2009/07/wee-choo-keong-gets-backing-from-azmin.html

http://www.mmail.com.my/content/7898-name-him-%E2%80%93-rift-widens-liu-dares-wee-name-errant-exco-member

The PKR MP for Wangsa Maju did not give the name of thoseState Excos which were involved but just wrote "Siapa makan cili, dia terasa pedasnya.

8.        Why the MACC was blamed for TBH death?

TBH died on 16th July 2009. A day later, Andrew Ong a reporter for MalaysiaKini wrote an article quoting Tan Boon Hwa that MACC had "threatened him".

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/108710

Until today, 11 August 2010, Tan Boon Hwa has not make either a formal complaint to MACC or to the police or sue the MACC for the so called "threat".

However the damage was done. By evening of that day, blogs and forum were full with speculations and condemnation of MACC. Although the PM at that time ask the public to remain calm, the image of MACC as a ruthless and violent organization has been stick to the mind especially of the Chinese.

http://harismibrahim.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/poster2.jpg

On the same day, Lim Kit Siang put the finishing touch of tarnishing MACC for good in the eyes of the Chinese by :

a)       calling the MACC a lapdog of BN

b)       stating that overwhelming Malaysian blame MACC (without giving where he got this number from)

c)       writing the word murder, death and MACC all in one sentence.

http://blog.limkitsiang.com/2009/07/17/teoh-beng-hock%E2%80%99s-first-death-in-macc-custody-defining-test-for-macc-and-najib%E2%80%99s-commitment-to-accountability-transparency-and-rule-of-law/

9.        What happened next?

a)        The funeral

Images upon images of TBH's mourning family were shown by all the Chinese dailies. In these dailies, many of the shots contains only images of DAP leaders. Although there were MCA and GERAKAN leaders there, for some reason, their images were deemed unworthy.

http://yseablog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/270reuters_teohv2.JPG

Of course then there was the demonstration in the Stadium where the demo was meant to conjure/bring up one sentiment especially amongst the Chinese – anger and hatred towards the ruling Government.

http://minaq-jinggo.fotopages.com/?entry=1898470

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/fRTJAxFwAFA/0.jpg

b)       Link to UMNO

Soon after the word murder was link permanently with MACC.Bear in mind, not a single Pakatan leader high ranking leader have come outwith statements stating MACC murdered TBH. However they do encourage theirfoot-soldiers who were making the rounds on the internet accusing MACC with all kind of nasty things.

MCA and GERAKAN leaders were cornered and pressured. This left UMNO to defend the MACC, an organization which was born from the Parliament. When more and more UMNO members came to defend MACC against the rising tide of unjustified accusations, the link were made that MACC is nothing more than an UMNO controlled tool.

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/109110

c)       Request for an Inquest

Since the start until today, there has not been a single request in relation to TBH case that the Pakatan opposition requested, that the Government did not deliver/gave in. They requested for an inquest or a royal commission.This was granted.

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/108771

10.       What is an Inquest? What is the difference between anInquest and a Court Trial?

An inquest is NOT a court trial.

Court trial is when someone is accused of something and a trial is held to judge if that someone is guilty or not. The judge can sentence the guilty person to jail.

An inquest meanwhile is an inquiry (usually medical examination) done by a forensic examiner a.k.a coroner to find out the cause of death which occur in a suspicious or violent manner.

http://www.courts.sa.gov.au/courts/coroner/inquest.html

Unlike a court trial where the judge can sentence X or Y tojail, an inquest have no such power. The way inquest is run is also different.It is extremely important for people to understand the differences between a court trial (e.g. Anwar Ibrahim's Sodomy Trial) and a Coroner's Inquest (e.g. TBH Inquest).

In this inquest the TBH family is represented by Gobind Singh Deo, the DAP MP for Puchong.

11.       Since TBH worked for DAP ADUN, assisted the MACC oninvestigation against DAP Exco members, is it not bias for Gobind Singh Deo (DAP MP for Puchong) to represent the family?

Excellent observation!

However, you have to understand "the law". It is only BIAS if this kind of arrangement wasdone by BN only. If it was done by other Pakatan opposition, it is not bias, it is justice. Lol

12.       How did Dr Pornthip came to the 80% homicide thingy?

An early initial investigation which was done a couple of days after the body was found showed that TBH had fallen from the 14th floor of Plaza Masalam without any unexplained injuries. But as expected this early initial investigation was rejected by the DAP lawyers who now speak on behalf of the late TBH family.

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/108792

On the 21st October 2009, Dr Pornthip shocked the nation by declaring that by reading the first post mortem report and just by looking at the pictures only, there is a 80% chance that TBH died due to homicide (killed).

Bear in mind, in the 1st post mortem, Dr Pornthip was not involved. Even before making that a shocking statement, she never saw the cadaver of the late TBH up close and personal. Her statement was made solely based on reading the 1st post mortem report and a few pictures which was shown to her during her day in at the inquest on October 21st, 2009.

The 1st autopsy report concluded that TBH committed suicide. This post mortem was conducted by 3 local forensic experts.

Strangely, the 1st autopsy report did not get the attention it deserved. Instead what was shown on the front-page of most of the pro-Pakatan media was the 80% homicide. Heck, even pro-establishment media such as The Star push the result of the 1st post mortem aside and opted for the more "interesting" 80% statement by Dr Pornthip.

13.        Who were the forensic experts involved in the 2nd autopsy report?

1)       Dr Shahidan Mohd Noor
2)       Dr K Saravanan
3)       Dr Khairul Azman Ibrahim
4)       Dr Prashant Samberkar
5)       Dr Pornthip (Pakatan appointed)
6)       Dr Vanezis (MACC appointed)

http://www.petervanezis.com/

14.       What was their result?

The same as the 1st autopsy report. Dr Vanezis himself admitted that TBH died because of suicide. Vanezis, in his testimony, said Teoh was conscious at the time of his fall and there was no proof that he was strangled.

http://www.mmail.com.my/content/34569-teoh-beng-hock-inquest-he-was-not-murdered-says-british-pathologist

15.       Why the local experts' investigation was still rejected?

Only the pro-Pakatan people did not believe both the 1st autopsy report and the 2nd autopsy report. They accused the local experts as bias for the Government.

16.       Why not much media on Dr Venici result?

The pro-Pakatan people accused Dr Vanezis as being paid by MACC so his opinion cannot be used and unfair

17.        Why some still argue that Dr Pornthip 80% homicide is correct despite the result from 1st and 2nd autopsy?

Since Dr Pornthip is paid by the Pakatan Opposition Selangor State Govt so she must be a fair and correct. Dr Vanezis and the other 4 Malaysian experts are paid by MACC and the Govt so they must be wrong and bias. lol

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/124633

18.        What happened to Dr Pornthip?

After she oversaw the 2nd autopsy report with Dr Vanezis, she went back to Thailand. She did not came to the Inquest when the result was published on the 20th April 2010.

http://202.190.176.167/news/132189

There are two version of why she did not come to the Inquest:

a)       She could not defend her 80-20 homicide theory
b)       Her safety was under threat

19.       Is the "death threat" to Dr Pornthip true?

No. We never heard the real reason why she did not came to the Inquest hearing. All that we heard was what her employer the Selangor State Govt said.

Besides, as this BBC article explains, Dr Pornthip received many many death threats in the past but that did not stop her before.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/documentaries/2009/06/090608_myworld_dr_death.shtml

Maybe we can ask her why all of sudden she can come to the Inquest on 18th August but not on 20th April? Lol Maybe she did not received anymore "signals". Lol

http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=49384

21.       What is the alleged note?

The NOTE is a piece of paper written by Teoh Beng Hock just a few hours before he was found dead. Some people have said it is a "suicide note". What is known about the letter is that the letter was addressed to TBH's employer, the Seri Kembangan ADUN Ean Yong.

In that letter TBH was purported to write (in Chinese) that he had to tell MACC everything, that he apologize if this causes problem to the party (DAP) and that he will commit suicide.

The letter first came to the notice of the public on 24th July 2010 when Jaringan Melayu Muda accused the lawyer representing the Government, Tan Hock Chuan, of withholding the note written by TBH in Chinese.

http://jaringanmelayumal.blogspot.com/2010/07/siasat-surat-terakhir-beng-hock.html

http://jaringanmelayumal.blogspot.com/2010/07/benarkah-peguam-sembunyikan-surat-teoh.html

22.        What is the response of TBH family to the suicide note?

Until today we still have no idea the response from TBH family. All we hear are angry words coming from their lawyer, Gobind Singh Deo.

23.        Why the family lawyer is angry with the suicide note?

I don't know. By right, the lawyer should be happy that finally his clients can get some peace knowing what really happened to their son. But because this lawyer also has vested interest I guess that is why lar...

24.        Is the note authentic?

Yes. The AG had said one of the reasons it took so long is because it needed to be verified. Even the Pakatan leaders are not questioning the authenticity of the content of the letter.

25.        Why Tan Hock Chuan did not give the letter earlier to the AG?

Nobody knows. Some people say that he betrayed his client(the Government). But in my opinion maybe he "just forgot lar".

Whatever the reason is, Tan Hock Chuan is safe. Pakatan will not touch or demonize him. To touch him will mean reduction in Chinese votes in GE.

However the poor Attorney General will get the bullet shots and the firing has started. It does not matter because demonizing the AG is like killing two birds with one stone (Anwar Ibrahim and RPK have wanted to remove the AG since June 2008).

26.        Is it true that the AG withheld the evidence?

First of all, we do not know when Tan Hock Chuan gave the note to the AG.

Second, even if Tan Hock Chuan gave the AG two months or 12 months ago, the note is still valid.

The fact is (Gobind Deo himself knows this) you can't be accused of withholding or holding back evidence when the Coroner's Inquest is still on-going.

http://bigdogdotcom.wordpress.com/2010/08/10/where-did-gobind-learn-law/

27.        What will happen next?

a)        Pakatan especially DAP will try to shift the attention of the RAKYAT from the content of the letter.

b)        The Pakatan DAP together with numerous pro-Pakatan NGOs will attack the Attorney General.

c)        They will somehow blame this all on UMNO.

d)        Gobind Singh Deo will try to postponed and keep postponing the Inquest until the GE 13.

e)        Basically this Inquest will mirror that of Anwar Ibrahim's Sodomy trial.

Not so much focusing on the details at hand but instead focusing on trivial side-issues such as does Dr Vanezis "had an affair with one of the nurses "or does Dr Shahidan's "maid work with proper visa" or perhaps whether Dr Prashant's is a doctor or not. Lol