Looks like strangled, feels like strangled, but can't confirm if TBH was strangled...

Now, doc says Teoh wasn’t strangled

(The Star) - The inquest into the death of political aide Teoh Beng Hock was once again enveloped in uncertainty when a government pathologist testified that the deceased had not been strangled or choked prior to his fall. Sungai Buloh Hospital Pathology Unit chief Dr Shahidan Md Noor said all Teoh’s injuries were consistent with falling from a height, except for the red bruises on his neck, which he admitted could be pre-fall injuries from some form of pressure exerted in the area. (EWO: So...yes, he was strangled?)

“What I am saying is that the internal injuries were consistent with the fall from a height but injuries on the neck suggest there was some form of pressure (EWO: So...confirm he was strangled la?) but this did not cause his death,” said Dr Shahidan when cross-examined by Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) counsel Datuk Abdul Razak Musa.

According to Dr Shahidan, who was ordered by coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas to conduct the second post-mortem, there was no sign of asphyxiation. (EWO: So...his neck was squeezed hard enough to damage the muscle but no, he was NOT strangled?)

Ironically, on March 1, Dr Shahidan had agreed with Teoh’s family lawyer Gobind Singh Deo and state-appointed counsel Malik Imtiaz Sarwar during cross-examination that Teoh may have been strangled or choked prior to his death. (EWO: So...yes, he was strangled, then?)

Yesterday, Dr Shahidan reiterated that Teoh’s death was purely due to falling from a height and it was unlikely he had been clobbered on the head with a blunt object. (EWO: So...er...yes, he was strangled...but at least he was not strangled to death and that should be a good enough standard for MACC interrogation methods, is it?)

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The official obfuscation and the media's collaboration is just absolutely disgusting...

Dey...this is not about being caught on video doing naughty things with good friends, or even about whether lawyers cavorting in the sun with senior judges.

This is possible homicide and definite assault.

Isn't it the first duty for everyone involved in the inquest to find out who the responsible parties are? And isn't it the media's duty to report accurately, fairly and truthfully?

If these people and their media dogs can make such a flippant and frivoulous case of a person's suspicious death...what hope is there for our country with these people still being allowed to be doing whatever it is they are doing?

More than tragic...

The case of little Syafia's murder is such a sad tale of human weakness and depravity. As I read the details in the news reports, I felt my heart sinking.

A wife whose husband is in jail, charged for murder.
She had 1 child, possibly 2 children out of wedlock.
Her daughter is regularly abused and finally killed by her boyfriend
She was with her boyfriend for six years, even before her husband went to jail.

This extremely tragic family eally underlines the fact that the darkness in human hearts is unfathomable at times. And human desires and desperations can lead to tragic ends.

But what is even more unfathomable to me is that this case got widespread support and sympathy, with no less than Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil comforting her with hugs and advice.

Contrast with what happened to Teoh Beng Hock and his wife and baby.

When it was found that Teoh Beng Hock's fiancee was pregnant at the time of his death, Utusan via Ridhuan Tee went to town with accussations of zina, low morals, loose living, and other inferiorities of the "ultra kiasu" race. He even went so far as to call TBH's baby a "bastard", merely days after TBH's death. Ridhuan Tee spent the next months fighting against widespread outrage at his insensitive comments, using ever larger accussations as his defense, expanding his attacks beyond Teoh's family to include his dissenters, Opposition politicians, his "former" race, and even other religions.

And no, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalildid not visit Soh Cher Wei (TBH's wife) at any time. In fact, Shahrizat's Cabinet colleagues and the MACC officials tried their very best (and are still trying) to prove that TBH committed suicide on his wedding day because of (. . . ?)

Oh well, you could say that all that is water under the bridge. The fact remains that tragedy is tragedy, and should be reported as tragedy instead of being hyped to politically support or attack anyone.

The only thing I'm wondering now is what Ridhuan Tee is going to make of this?

ACA never used force, says former director

Kuek Ser Kuang Keng/ Mkini

EXCLUSIVE

Teoh Beng Hock’s death has raised the question as to whether the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) uses force to extract information from witnesses.A former Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) senior officer has claimed that the corruption watchdog used to be a “civil and gentleman’s organisation” that has never been accused of abusing or assaulting witnesses or suspects.”We don’t work like the police. We don’t resort to using force to extract a confession. But I don’t know (what it is like) now,” said Mohamad Ramli Manan in an email interview with Malaysiakini on issues raised by Teoh’s death.

“If you are a good investigator, you don’t need a confession at all. You prove your case from other evidence.”

The ACA was upgraded to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in January.

Ramli had stunned the nation in early 2007 when he alleged that then ACA director-general Zulkipli Mat Noor was involved in corruption and a sex offence.

Ramli had served as ACA deputy chief in three states – Kedah, Perak, Negeri Sembilan – before being appointed to head the agency in Kelantan, Malacca, Johor and Sabah.

Zulkipli was cleared by Attorney-General Chambers but his contract was not extended when it expired in March 2007.

Ramli said the ACA, created in 1967, had never resorted to handcuffing suspects or arrested persons. Unlike the police who deal with hardcore criminals, the anti-graft agency deals with white collar crimes where there is minimal risk of suspects escaping.

However, there was a departure from this practice early this year when two Perak Pakatan Rakyat state executive councillors were arrested.

“We were shocked to see that the exco members who had voluntarily surrendered to the MACC and other suspects were handcuffed for their remand proceedings.

“I would venture to say that the Perak exco suspects were handcuffed just to embarrass them. That speaks of the mentality of MACC officers compared to ACA officers.”

Ramli, who retired in 2006, agreed that the ACA had always practised selective investigation.

“They are so afraid to investigate Umno ministers, excos and menteris besar unless they get the green light from the top. Officers who try to do so might find themselves facing trouble.

“MACC would not dare to do what they have done in Selangor and Perak in any of the BN states. They would not dare to handcuff an Umno exco member. That is a fact which nobody can deny.”

‘Cloak and dagger operation’

Although it has yet to be proven that the MACC used force when interrogating Teoh, Ramli noticed the investigation methods carried out on Selangor Pakatan assemblypersons were not in accordance with investigation procedures.

He revealed that the ACA investigations were divided into two stages and that this procedure is still in effect at the MACC.

An inquiry paper is opened upon receipt of any information. The investigations are conducted in a “cloak and dagger” manner at this stage.

“Nobody knows (this is in progress); not even the targeted suspects know that we are investigating the case since the purpose is to determine the truth or falsity of the information,” said Ramli.

Only when the agency is convinced that the information is true, will a full scale investigation begin to secure all evidence to prove the alleged crime, he explained.

“In a full scale investigation, we are pretty sure that a corrupt offence had been committed. There is no such thing as a ‘fishing expedition’.

“We know how many witnesses have to be called up and what evidence is available and obtainable from them; where and what documentary evidence we have to take and we also know where these documents are being kept.”

Teoh’s case handled against norm

According to Ramli, the Director of Operation may issue an ‘Operation Order’ detailing, mapping out and strategising the investigation if the case involves high-profile figures.

While he was heading the Sabah ACA, Ramli was Director of Operations in a case allegedly involving former Land and Cooperative Development Minister Kasitah Gaddam.

Ramli said such operations start in the morning and end about 7pm to 8pm. At this time, the officers will decide which suspects are to be further detained or whether the questioning should end.

“By 9pm the Director of Operations will call for a meeting to evaluate all the evidence that we have obtained and to give instructions for the next day’s operations. This enables officers to get rest and prepare for the next day.”

In Teoh’s case, Ramli surmised from MACC director of investigation Mohd Shukri Abdul’s statements that the Pakatan representatives were being investigated based on general information – or the first stage that requires discreet inquiry.

“What they did is against established practice and procedures of investigation methodology [...] I don’t know the actual facts of the case,” Ramli added.

“But if Shukri says they investigated based on general information received from anonymous sources or their informers, then an investigation through discreet inquiry is the proper investigative method.”