Bernama | Jul 24, 11 Malaysiakini
Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) law lecturer Assoc Prof Abd Halim Sidek said an investigation should be carried out on the allegation by the Bar Council that Teoh Beng Hock died due to the negligence of MACC officers named in the RCI report.
“If Teoh was driven to suicide as a result of the MACC officers’ action then they must be brought to court,” he said.
“I think the Bar Council president’s statement was premature and he jumped the gun. They must be patient and wait for the investigation,” he added.
Meanwhile a member of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Consultation and Prevention of Corruption Panel, Syed Akhbar Ali, said the non-acceptance of the RCI conclusions by some could also be construed as disrespect for the laws of the country. “I do not understand why they cannot accept the finding when the commission was formed on public demand and followed the due process of the law.
“If they accept when they like it and reject when it does not favour them then they are not respecting the commission,” he told Bernama today.
He was asked to comment on the statement by Bar Council President Lim Chee Wee that the body did not concur with the RCI’s decision that Teoh committed suicide because it was unsupported by facts and evidence.
He said it was up to the Bar Council to appeal or challenge the finding in court but if the outcome was the same, it should be accepted with an open mind.
Yet another committee?
Meanwhile the MACC has set up the Executive Transformation Committee to improve the quality of its operations.
The committee is a proactive step to heed the serious suggestions proposed by the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to investigate the death of political aide Teoh Beng Hock.
MACC Chief Commissioner Abu Kassim Mohamed heads the committee. Also in the committee are other members of the top management, MACC panels and legal experts.
According to a statement from the MACC Corporate Communications Unit today, the committee will also be responsible for enhancing performance, administration supervisory mechanism, monitoring and implementation of MACC structural, management reformation,
Investigation effectiveness, strengthening functional operation achievement through human resource development and boost forensic accounting investigation.
The statement said, the committee was aimed at refining MACC’s existing efforts to detect weaknesses and take immediate corrective measures towards improving the quality of MACC operations.
It also oversees the overall structure and reviews the current operation systems and procedures.
According to the statement, the committee comprises four of MACC’s top management staff, four existing committee and panel members and two legal experts.
Apart from Abu Kassim who will head the committee, other members are MACC deputy chief commissioner (operations) Mohd Shukri Abdul, deputy chief commissioner (management and professionalism) Zakaria Jaafar, deputy chief commissioner (prevention) Sutinah Sutan, corruption prevention advisory board member JS Rashpal Singh, Operation evaluation panel member Zamani Abdul Ghani, Corruption Prevention and Consultative Panel member Azman Ujang and two legal experts, namely immediate former Court of Appeal judge and MACC complaints committee chairman Mohd Nor Abdullah and immediate former Federal Court judge Abdul Kadir Sulaiman, who was also a member of the RCI.
The statement said a few local and foreign experts would also be brought into the committee to evaluate and implement the proposed improvements.
According to the statement, the Performance Management and Implementation Unit (Pemandu) will also be involved to assist the committee.
Teoh, who was political secretary to Selangor exco member Ean Yong Hian Wah, was found dead on the fifth floor corridor of Plaza Masalam in Shah Alam, Selangor on July 16, 2009 after giving statements at the Selangor MACC office located on the 14 floor of the building.
On Thursday, the RCI ruled that Teoh had committed suicide after aggressive and relentless interrogation by MACC investigating officers.