Of kickbacks, politics and night probes
(Malaysian Mirror) – The inquest into the death of Teoh Beng Hock took a political turn when allegations surfaced that four companies had given kickbacks to the DAP and some branches in Selangor.
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission officer Mohd Anuar Ismail testified that the information was obtained from four documents printed from Teoh’s laptop and his recorded statement with Selangor MACC officer Mohd Nazri Ibrahim.
Anuar, who took the stand again as the inquest entered Day 14 on Wednesday, said this when questioned by lawyer Abdul Razak Musa, who is representing the MACC.
Approval allegedly by Teoh and Yong
At the outset of the day’s proceedings, coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas had allowed an application made by lawyer Salim Bashir for state executive councilor Ean Yong Hian Wah (pic) to sit in the court so that he could listen to the testimony of the MACC officer.
The late Teoh was Yong’s political secretary. Teoh, 30, was found dead at the fifth floor corridor of the Plaza Masalam here on July 16. He had been questioned earlier by officers of the MACC, which has its Selangor office on the 14th floor of the building.
Anuar told the court that MACC investigations showed the following companies received projects that allegedly went to Teoh and Ean Yong for approval:
Fizami Construction (21 projects worth RM147,812), Haris Enterprise (14 projects worth RM88,275.30), MNKN Enterprise (six projects worth RM50,765) and MA Bina Melur (seven projects worth RM69, 010).
Commissions to DAP and branches
Anuar said the investigation also found that four companies had given commissions to the DAP and its Serdang Aman and Bandar Sungai Long branches.
He named the companies as WSK Services, Hong Chee Enterprise, Saharun Enterprise and Sharideen Enterprise. The commissions given totalled RM25, 546.56.
Lawyer Gobind Singh Deo
objected to the line of questioning, saying that Abdul Razak had breached what was agreed on Tuesday, which was for the inquest to stay within the statement taken from Anuar by investigating officer ASP Ahmad Nazri Zainal.
Gobind, who is holding a watching brief for Teoh’s family, said Abdul Razak was using the inquest as a platform to talk about the entire investigation by the MACC.
“We have nothing to hide. We can bring our witnesses and justify the allegations by Anuar.
“His allegations are baseless. It is unfair for my deceased client,” Gobind told the coroner.
'Damage has been done'
However, Abdul Razak told the court that the result of the investigation by the MACC is important to establish Teoh’s state of mind.
Government-appointed lawyer Tan Hock Chuan intervened and asked for a short break for all interested parties to have a discussion.
Gobind was not satisfied and again objected. “No! The damage has been done.
“The allegations about DAP has been put on record. Teoh did nothing wrong. But this inquest has turned into a corruption trial of Teoh Beng Hock.”
MACC's night interrogations
The court granted a short recess, after which Anuar took the stand again to explain why the MACC sometimes conducts night interrogation.
He said some witnesses who hold day jobs choose to be interrogated at night so it will not interfere with their work.
He added that some witnesses choose not to be seen at the MACC office for their own reasons so they choose the night time to have their statements recorded. “The MACC office is open 24 hours,” he said.
Asked by Abdul Razak why he did not lodge a police report straightaway after finding Teoh’s body, he said he believed the first person who found Teoh had done so.
At the time when he saw the body, he said, there were already many people gathering on the fifth floor of the building.
Argument in washroom
To another question by Abdul Razak, Anuar told the court that an MACC officer, Bulkani Paharuddin, had told him that he had seen Teoh arguing with another witness in the man’s washroom at the MACC office at about 2am on July 16.
He said the other person was Tan Boon Wah, a Kajang municipal councillor, who was one of the four witnesses present at the MACC office that night.
