Disappointing half measure
By Dr. Hsu
Although I reluctantly welcome the setting up of a Royal Commission of Inquiry as something better than nothing, I was disappointed that this Commission is not tasked to look into how Teoh Beng Hock died. It is to be set up to look into the methods and procedures of MACC. It is another half measure, typical of UMNO , trying to please both sides but in the end all sides are not satisfied.
An Inquest will be set up to find out the cause of death of Teoh Beng Hock. It was to be headed by a magistrate. In effect, it would be a Coroner’s Court, to determine the facts of how, when and where he died.
A few things immediately sprung to my mind.
Firstly, why do we need to have 2 different investigations into essentially one same thing? Why can’t the RCI be tasked to look into why Teoh died. Imagine witnesses will have to give the same evidence to 2 investigating teams (including the initial police questioning it will be three), and have to undergo questioning by probably the same legal teams but in 2 different settings.
Secondly, an inquest will be headed by a magistrate, who is a junior legal officer. Will he not be intimidated by the presence of big wigs like AG or Solicitor General who would be likely to be his bosses one day?
Read more at: http://hsudarren.wordpress.com/2009/07/23/disappointing-half-measure/
