Saturday, November 14, 2009

Inquiry adjourned pending outcome of suit

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SHAH ALAM: The inquest into the death of political aide Teoh Beng Hock has been adjourned to Dec 9 pending a Nov 19 High Court decision on a suit filed by witness Tan Boon Hwa.

The Kajang Municipal councillor, who was scheduled to testify yesterday, filed a suit on July 22, naming the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, MACC chief Datuk Seri Ahmad Said Hamdan and Selangor MACC assistant superintendent Mohammad Hassan Zulkifli as defendants.

He filed an originating summons at the High Court (Appellate and Special Powers Division) through lawyer Karpal Singh, for a declaration that the MACC, in investigating an offence, could lawfully only record a statement from him as a witness during office hours.

Tan, who is seeking damages, interest and costs, is applying for a declaration that the defendants had acted in contravention of the MACC Act 2009 in relation to the questioning of witnesses.

Tan was also questioned the same night as Teoh at the Selangor MACC office on the 14th floor of Plaza Masalam here.

He is believed to be among those who last saw Teoh alive.

Both Teoh and Tan were among three people hauled up by the Selangor MACC on July 15 for questioning over the alleged irregular disbursement of state funds.

Teoh, political aide to Selangor exco member Ean Yong Hian Wah, was found dead on the 5th floor service corridor the following day.

Karpal, who was in court yesterday, told coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas that Tan’s testimony should be taken after Nov 19 as the High Court’s decision may be binding on the inquest.

Meanwhile, witness T. Sivanesan testified that he identified Selangor MACC officer Mohd Ashraf Mohd Yunos as the person who had abused him during interrogation, from a picture in a Bahasa Malaysia vernacular daily dated Aug 29.

Sivanesan had been taken in as a suspect and interrogated by the MACC in September last year over a RM30,000 alleged bribe.

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