Ensuring justice for Teoh Beng Hock — The Malaysian Insider

JAN 27 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak has fulfilled his pledge to set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into Teoh Beng Hock’s death.

In making the announcement, the prime minister said the RCI would look into how the 30-year-old DAP political aide died and will also probe the investigation procedures of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

All well and good. Its a step towards ensuring justice for the 30-year-old political aide who died on July 16, 2009.

The question now is the composition of the royal panel. Teoh’s family have said they are “puzzled” why none of the names they proposed were appointed to RCI announced by Najib yesterday.

“It is regrettable that the prime minister did not consult us nor accept the proposals made jointly by 126 NGOs before he announced the names of the commissioners,” Teoh’s sister Lee Lan said in a statement on behalf of the family

True. All those named to the panel headed by Federal Court judge Tan Sri James Foong are people who are still serving in the government service. None are from outside the service, as has been done in previous royal panels.

Justice must be seen to be done. So it is hard to understand why no representative from the Bar Council or respected individuals are on the panel.

Perhaps it’s too early to judge the panel but the collection of judges, former judges and civil servants will have to show that they are interested in giving justice for Teoh Beng Hock, his family, the MACC and the country.

The thing is, in the US, Australia and the United Kingdom, the presence of judges or former judges guarantees independence and impartiality.

Unfortunately, the judiciary in Malaysia has been under a dark cloud since 1988. Thus, there is a danger that justice might not be served.

This is something for the Najib administration to consider. It cannot have Teoh Beng Hock’s death and the aftermath be a millstone around its neck. It cannot leave any stone unturned to find the truth and explain what had happened.

This can only be done by assembling the best possible people for the inquiry. It would be a shame that the prime minister’s promise to the Teoh family is undone because no care was given to having the best possible team to sift through and consider the facts of the matter.

Putrajaya still has time to consider adding people to the panel and ensure justice for Teoh Beng Hock. He deserves no less. Malaysia deserves no less.