Don’t let Teoh’s death be in vain By Oon Yeoh
Much has been said and written about the tragic death of DAP political aide Teoh Beng Hock. There is anger, sadness and confusion over what has happened.
The calls for a Royal Commission of Inquiry are growing louder. Perhaps in due time we will be able to find out the truth of what actually happened, and, if some heads have to roll, let them roll.
But that alone will not stop situations like this from reoccurring, just as the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s black eye has not stopped police brutality from persisting. Similarly, the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Lingam video has done nothing to bolster people’s confidence in the judiciary.
That’s because the underlying causes of these various problems have not been addressed, only the specific incidences of wrongdoing. What we need are institutions that are truly independent and apolitical. The police force might claim it is above politics but its behaviour leading to, and during, the May 7 Perak state assembly sitting doesn’t make a strong case for its neutrality.
Likewise the MACC might claim to investigate graft allegations without fear or favour but, the fact that it has gone after a bunch of Selangor state representatives for allegations of corruption on relatively minor amounts (RM2,400 for the purchase of flags, for example) while not batting an eyelid over a former menteri besar’s luxury mansion, doesn’t exactly paint an image of impartiality either.
We also need our enforcement agencies to be more humane. Every one of these officers – from the top down – needs to take courses not just on civil liberties but also the Malaysian constitution. Far too often, those detained or questioned have their fundamental rights trampled all over.
Unless there is some CCTV footage of his interrogation, we might never know what exactly transpired during Teoh’s marathon grilling session which lasted from 5pm to 3.45 am. But if it’s anything like what Kajang municipal councillor, Tan Boon Hwa, says he endured, it’s certainly something that should be of grave concern to all right-thinking people.
Tan, who was also brought into questioning as a witness, says he was forced to stand for four hours, was threatened with physical violence and had to endure racial epithets. He claims there were even threats made concerning his family.
Such interrogation techniques are the kind of thing you would expect to happen when someone is detained under the dreaded ISA – which in itself is a gross violation of human rights and civil liberties – but certainly not during the questioning of witnesses.
We don’t know if Tan’s account is accurate or not, and if it is, whether Teoh was subjected to the same harsh treatment. It’s certainly something that an independent inquiry must look into.
Any independent inquiry must also shed light on whether such interrogation techniques, if indeed they were used, are part of MACC’s standard operating procedures or whether they were the actions of rogue MACC officials.
If they were the action of officials who had overstepped their boundaries, questions then need to be asked why there was no effective oversight mechanism or checks and balances to ensure such things do not happen.
The irony of the MACC, which is now viewed with total cynicism and distrust by the broader public, is that it was supposed to be a better version of the ACA, which was largely seen as ineffective. The MACC was given more powers to really go after graft but it seems to be using those powers for political persecution; to conduct unfair investigations using accusatory methods that are reminiscent of McCarthyism in the US in the 1950s.
Teoh’s death is tragic but it won’t be in vain if it brings about positive change. If Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak believes that economic reforms are all that’s necessary to appease an increasingly educated and demanding public, Teoh’s death should open his eyes. And if it doesn’t, his very savvy and capable political secretary, Oh Ei Sun, should tell him that if he wants his 1Malaysia concept to really work, he needs to buck up on civil liberties as well.
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Teoh Beng Hock’s Funeral, Vigil and Public Concerns By Sagaladoola | Tuesday, July 21, 2009
On 21st July 2009, Teoh Beng Hock , the political secretary who went into MACC building alive and came out as a corpse has laid to rest in Semenyih.
His funeral is attended by many Pakatan Rakyat politicians as can be seen here in justiceforbenghock.blogspot.com . Certainly, it is not strange, considering that Teoh Beng Hock is a political secretary to an Exco of Selangor government Ean Yong Hian Wah of Democratic Action Party (DAP). One can’t help but wonder if there were any Barisan Nasional politicians present to pay respects.
Sivin Kit posted pictures in his blog : Justice for Beng Hock . Generally, Teoh’s mother, in-laws and would-be-wife cried over Teoh’s departure. Who wouldn’t? The death is so sudden and too mysterious and justice has yet to be seen.
Firstly, it was said that there are several media somewhere pointing out that Pakatan Rakyat is making this a racial issue. This is somehow surprising because I was there at the Kelana Jaya Stadium on 20th of July, listening to speeches from MPs such as Husam Musa (PAS), Xavier Jayakumar (PKR), Lim Kit Siang (DAP), so on and so forth telling the attendees of the Memorial Vigil that Teoh’s demise should not be placed in the racial perspective.
I can remember clearly that it was mentioned that regardless if Teoh is a Malay, Chinese or Indian, Malaysians should stand together as one to ensure there is justice served to another Malaysian, Teoh Beng Hock himself. That includes Kugan too. In my honest opinion, perfectly sensible. Shall we say that is what 1Malaysia should be all about?
Secondly, I find it strange that somehow somewhere Somebody described the speculations surrounding Teoh’s untimely demise to be motivated by politics. We must be clear about a few things.
Why are people speculating? Probably, there is disbelief among the masses that Teoh had committed suicide. It is hard for the public to stomach the reason that a man with a promising career in politics, a father and husband-to-be (Teoh was supposed to get married soon with his pregnant would be-wife) would be suicidal (bear in mind, that this blog is stating the nature of his death is inconclusive. Hopefully, a Royal Commission of Inquiry would be formed to investigate the nature of his death).
The information given to the public is just too little. Take for example, the public does not even know who were the interviewing officers etc. etc. When there is too little information, people tend to guess using their own version of logic and perspective. I am not in a position to say it is right nor wrong.
Teoh himself was in the political circle, it is not surprising that his colleagues, particularly the Pakatan MPs would speak about him in public. Even blogs write about Teoh, Malaysians talk about Teoh in coffee shops. Therefore, this issue is no longer simply motivated by politics.
It is a serious issue with social concerns. What else is going through the minds of the public concerning MACC and this incident? MACC is a powerful and important commission. Its positive image and public confidence are important. Malaysians are also concerned with bigger alleged corruption scandals. Are Malaysians concerned about their own security as well? What are the SOPs of MACC? In my opinion, it will be terribly unbelievable if SOPs are not clearly in black-and-white, authorised.
Federal and Selangor State MPs, NGOs irregardless of political affiliation (BN or non-BN) should address and discuss these issues in Parliament.
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The Rakyat will prevail….… By Hussein Hamid
They just do not get it. When you have made a mistake you simply put up your hands and say “ I am sorry. It is my fault” then you try to make amends for whatever it is that you made done wrong. If you are contrite enough you might be forgiven and the people you have wronged might accept you back again into their fold and all will be forgiven.
Then there is the other way of doing things. Deny, deny deny. Go on the offensive straight away and plead innocent of all charges. Bluff your way through with enough bluster, thunderbolt and lighting..very very frightening…. and maybe though all that bluff the person wronged might be persuaded to just go away and accept that life is just not fair.
One of life’s constant memory for me is of Kirk Douglas standing up to proclaim “I’m Spartacus!” to Crassus (who had promised that the others will not be punished if they identify Spartacus or his body) only to be upstaged by Tony Curtis and all the others standing up together to proclaim “I’m Spartacus ! because they were all prepared to sacrifice themselves so that Spartacus could live.
In standing up for our rights and our dignity in our own country we all need to be Spartacus! There are too many of us for PDRM to arrest. Too many of us for them to put under ISA. Too many of us for MACC to question. Too many of us to ignore. But it would still take great courage and determination for us to stand together against the might of Barisan. Even God, it can be argued, favors those with deep pockets and large armies.
These are not difficult days for us. In time to come we will look back and know that these were our greatest days for we are part of that movement that will give our children and our children’s children a secure and decent future in Malaysia.
There are many people on the side of Barisan. They are a coalition of the willing bounded together by their own selfish sense of purpose. Even the oppressed minority within UMNO (those UMNO members who are not yet rich) will always display a unwavering and unquestioning loyalty to UMNO’s in in the hope that they too can get their snout in the trough during feeding time (read General Election time or any by elections along the way !!!!).
So what can we do.
We cannot fight the Police on the streets. In a riot situation the Police are in their elements. They have the discipline the weapons and the technical know how to control and subdued any numbers from our ranks. But we can keep the anger within us and not forget Justice for All, Respect for the rights of each citizen and leaders who are accountable and responsible in the things that they do. We must keep the anger within us my friend so that our Country, our Life, our Justice System, our Government, our Police, our Leaders will become accountable to us. Work for us. Listen to us and will look after us.
We do not have long to wait. The next General Election will put the fear of God into Barisan/UMNO. There will be desertion in droves from within their ranks to join us. If they are rats fleeing a sinking ship, then it will be for us to do what we do to rats fleeing a sinking ship – cut the rope that ties the ship to the berth and let them drown. There will be desperation from within their ranks and attempts to negotiate alliances and establish life lines with Pakatan Rakyat when all else fail for them – we must resists the temptation to do so. No jumping frogs – but we do want an orderly and dignified march to our side.
Do not concern ourselves too much with PDRM, MACC or any Government Ministries – they will take instructions from their political Masters – and after the next GE – we will be their political masters.
So my friends our path is set. Our resolve must be strong and it is only for our Pakatan Rakyat leaders to lead us to the next election and victory.
“Victory at all costs and in spite of all terrors; victory, however long and hard the road may be, for without victory there is no survival.” Winston Churchill.