WASN’T THE LATE TEO BENG HOCK’S CASE WAS POLITICALLY MOTIVATED IN NATURE RIGHT FROM THE TIME HE WAS INVESTIGATED BY MACC?

WASN’T THE LATE TEO BENG HOCK’S CASE WAS POLITICALLY MOTIVATED IN NATURE RIGHT FROM THE TIME HE WAS INVESTIGATED BY MACC?


Saturday February 19, 2011

Najib: Teoh’s case politicised

By ZUHRIN AZAM AHMAD

zuhrinazam@thestar.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR: The boycott of the Com¬mission of Inquiry by Teoh Beng Hock’s family is an Opposition tactic to prolong the case until the next general election, said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

The Prime Minister said the Opposition had been advising Teoh’s family and wanted to use the case as an issue during the elections.

“The intention is to portray the Government as not doing anything to find the cause of Teoh’s death.

“It (the inquest) has been politicised,” he told newsmen after addressing religious teachers at the Putra World Trade Centre here yesterday.

Najib said Teoh’s family should have given the Commission a chance to fulfil its responsibility of finding the cause of his death.

He said members of the Commission were highly respected and could help determine what had actually happened.

“We formed the Commission at the request of the family and because we ourselves also wanted to find the truth.

“There should be closure to this case. It cannot be prolonged forever. This (Commission of Inquiry) is something that will help Teoh’s family (in finding the truth),” he said.

In January, Coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas delivered an open verdict on the case, in which he ruled that Teoh’s death was neither a suicide nor a homicide.

In response, Teoh’s sister made a passionate plea to Najib to honour his vow to her family and set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into her brother’s death.

Teoh’s family had demanded an RCI be set up to probe the circumstances surrounding the 30-year-old’s death.

On Wednesday, the family withdrew from taking part in the Commission of Inquiry (CI) tasked with investigating the political aide’s death after they failed to get it to stay its proceedings.

On Malaysian students who had been brought home from Egypt, Najib said the Government was considering bringing in lecturers from the country to teach them.

He said another alternative was to hold their examinations here.

“This is if the uncertainty in Egypt remains unchanged. If the situation is back to normal, we will make preparations to send them there.”