Former ACA official: Teoh held unlawfully
Standard procedures “were not followed” on July 15 by the Selangor Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), when it questioned DAP political aide Teoh Beng Hock at its office in Shah Alam.
Pointing this out when asked by Malaysiakini, a senior officer who retired from the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) in 2006, further alluded to malice on the part of the MACCin having exceeded its powers.
Mohamad Ramli Manan , in an email interview, said Teoh’s interrogation was carried out beyond office hours and that this could be considered as “unlawful detention”.
The MACC had called in Teoh as part of its investigations into the alleged misuse of constituency development funds by several Selangor Pakatan Rakyat assemblypersons, including his boss and exco member Ean Yong Hian Wah
“It is against established law and practice to interrogate them (suspects) in the night. The lock-up rules demand that they be sent to a lock-up by at least 8pm,” Ramli said.
“Witnesses are sent back to their offices or homes and asked to be present at another appointed date. I don’t know why they had to call Teoh at 5pm. This may be due to poor planning or some evil intention or evil purpose on their part.”
Teoh was reportedly released by the MACC at 3.45am on July 16, but his body was found on the fifth floor balcony of Plaza Masalam about 1.30pm. The MACC occupies the 14th floor of the tower block overlooking the plaza.
During his service with the ACA, Ramli was deputy head in Kedah, Perak and Negri Sembilan, before being appointed to head the agency in Kelantan, Malacca, Johor and Sabah.
He shocked the nation in early 2007 when he alleged that then ACA director-general Zulkipli Mat Noor was involved in corruption and a sex offence.
Zulkipli was later cleared by the attorney-general’s chambers, but his contract was not extended when it expired in March 2007.
