PM: We want to establish the truth
(The Star) PUTRAJAYA: The following are Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s responses to questions from the media after he announced the formation of a Royal Commission of Inquiry to look into the interrogation methods by Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission against Teoh Beng Hock.
Question: Was there any pressure to form the commission?
Najib: No. It’s because we want to establish the truth and it’s important for us to ensure public faith and confidence in important institutions that we have in this country.
When do you think the police can complete their investigations? What kind of time frame will be set?
I know that the police can wrap up their investigations very soon. I think we are talking about a matter of days. For the magistrate (on the inquest), I don’t want to put a time frame because that is up to the magistrate to decide (on when it should be held). The Royal Commission will be established quite soon.
The investigation by the Royal Commission, will it be into Teoh’s death?
It will be on the procedures (of MACC interrogations). The inquest will look into Teoh’s death.
Who are the members of the commission?
We will announce later.
Have you named the magistrate?
No, that is up to the court to decide. We have taken steps to notify the court of the need to convene an inquest. So I expect the inquest to start some time within next week.
There’s an online news portal (saying) that the MACC has suspended their investigation into the alleged misuse of constituency funds by Selangor exco members.
No, we cannot have any presumption. We have to wait for the results of the investigations first.
What will the commission investigate?
It will be on the (MACC’s) procedures relating to its investigation, not the investigation on Teoh’s death and the normal investigations conducted by the MACC.
Has the MACC investigation team been suspended?
They have not been suspended, but the lead investigator has been reassigned to the (MACC) headquarters. We cannot have a presumption of guilt.
Will the commission investigate Teoh’s death?
No, the death will be left to the inquest. The inquest on the cause of death is conducted by a magistrate, so we have to follow the law.
