MACC: Teoh was not a suspect
(NST) 'He was a helpful witness and never showed signs of being under pressure'
PUTRAJAYA: Teoh Beng Hock was never a suspect in the ongoing investigations but a friendly and cooperative witness who was assisting the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in the probe into falsified claims.
MACC deputy commissioner Datuk Abu Kassim Mohammad said Teoh came to the commission's Selangor headquarters at Plaza Masalam on his own and never showed signs of being under pressure throughout the eight hours of questioning.
Teoh was called to the MACC office at 5pm on Wednesday and was discharged at 3.45am yesterday.
Explaining the procedures in recording statements from witnesses or suspects, Abu Kassim said it was normal for the questioning to last more than eight hours.
He stressed that Teoh was just assisting the probe into a Selangor DAP assemblyman alleged to have falsified claims.
Teoh was the political aide to Seri Kembangan assemblyman Ean Yong Hian Wah.
Abu Kassim said after he was discharged, Teoh was supposed to return to the MACC office later yesterday with certain documents pertaining to transactions with seven companies as he had processed those documents.
"He was a very cooperative, friendly, good and helpful witness.
"He was never interrogated as he was not a suspect and he never showed signs of being under pressure.
"When he came in, he was not escorted, unlike suspects who are guarded around the clock, even when they go to the toilet.
"After my men discharged him, Teoh said he wanted to rest on the sofa and my men last saw him sleeping at 6am.
"An hour later, he was no longer there," he said, adding that another witness in relation to the same case was still being questioned when Teoh was discharged.
Abu Kassim said they were shocked to hear that his body was found sprawled at a secluded spot of the office building about 1.30pm.
"We thought he had gone home."
Asked about the security features at the state MACC office, Abu Kassim said the commission did not own the building.
"We made an application to the building management some time ago for the installation of grilles at the windows, but there was no response," he said.
The state MACC occupies levels 14 and 15 of the Plaza Masalam complex.
Abu Kassim said the MACC would extend its full cooperation to the police in investigations into Teoh's death.
Abu Kassim, however, cautioned against speculation about his death to allow police to conduct a fair investigation.
"The police are free to question my officers. We have nothing to hide.
We also want to know what actually transpired," he said.
Meanwhile, MACC investigations director Datuk Shukri Abdull expressed his disappointment with several DAP leaders who vented their anger at the commission over the incident.
He was particularly unhappy with DAP's Ronnie Liu, who is Selangor Local Government and Research Committee chairman, for banging his fist on the door at an off-limits area of the MACC office to be let in.
Liu was among several DAP leaders present at the office demanding an explanation for Teoh's death.
