Key witnesses in Teoh Beng Hock case to be recalled for statements, says Home Minister

KUALA LUMPUR: Key witnesses in the Teoh Beng Hock case will be recalled to have their statements recorded following ongoing investigations, says Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

"The police were requested to record further statements from crucial witnesses before re-submitting their investigation papers to the Attorney General's Chambers (AGC) for further direction," the Home Minister said in a written reply to a question raised by Chow Yu Hui (PH-Raub) in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday. (March 21)

Chow wanted to know if the administration under the unity government would reopen investigations into the case, particularly for the offence of murder or culpable homicide not amounting to murder under Section 302 and 307 of the Penal Code.

However, Saifuddin said that the police will be recalling the witnesses for their statements with regards to the offence of wrongful confinement under Section 324 of the Penal Code.

He said that this is in accordance with Cabinet's 2018 decision to reopen the case.

Saifuddin said that the AGC had returned these particular investigation papers to the investigating officer on Jan 6, 2023.

"I do not intend to elaborate further related to this case to avoid interfering with investigations," he added.

On July 16, 2009, Teoh was detained overnight for questioning at the 14th floor of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) office in Shah Alam.

He was later found dead on the fifth-floor landing of the building.

In July 2011, a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) found that his death was due to suicide.

However, in September 2014, the Court of Appeal ruled that Teoh’s death was caused by multiple injuries from a fall from the building which was accelerated by "an unlawful act or acts of person or persons unknown" including MACC officers who were involved in the case.

In May 2015, the government agreed to pay Teoh’s family RM600,000 as settlement for a civil suit initiated in 2012 for negligence resulting in Teoh’s death.

In January last year, Teoh’s parents filed for a judicial review to compel the police to complete investigations into his 2009 death.

The High Court granted leave for the lawsuit to be heard in June last year with the hearing to happen on June 6 this year.