RCI zeroes in on Teoh’s ‘last note’

KUALA LUMPUR: A note believed to be Teoh Beng Hock’s final testament before his death was the focus of the Royal Commission of Inquiry, set up to probe the DAP aide’s death, today.

Investigating officer ASP Ahmad Nazri Zainal testified that he suspected the note was penned by Teoh but did not investigate if it was written with the same pen found in one of Teoh’s blazer pockets.

A copy of the note written in Chinese translated by the MACC was submitted as an exhibit to the commission.

Lawyer acting for the MACC, Muhammad Shafee Abdullah asked Nazri if he was satisfied that it was really Teoh who had written the note.

He also asked the police officer whether he could tell from the note if Teoh had complained that he was assaulted.

At this juncture, he was interrupted by commissioner T Selventhiranathan, who told him that it was not for the investigating officer to suggest such conclusions.

The copy of the note appeared to be different from that produced at the inquest which investigated Teoh’s death previously.

The Coroner’s Court had ruled out suicide and homicide, and returned an open verdict, which led to the formation of the RCI.

The previous copy which was analysed during the inquest was translated by court interpreter Ting Chin Kin.

Below are the excerpts of the note translated by the MACC:

Ean Yong,

Mereka telah mengambil kesemua computer dan computer tersebut tidak ada back up. Benda tersebut menuding jari kepada kamu. Saya tidak tahu berpura-pura, saya telah menyusahkan kamu.

Saya kata ‘mendapat kelulusan YB’. Mereka berdegil menaip menjadi ‘mengikut arahan YB’. Minta maaf. Saya amat penat. Selamat tinggal.

(Ean Yong,
They have taken all the computers and the computer does not have a back up. The matter is pointing fingers at you. I do not know how to pretend, I have inconvenienced you.

(I said ‘obtained the YB’s approval’ but they insist on typing ‘on the YB’s instructions’. I’m sorry. I’m very tired. Goodbye.)

Selangor exco Ean Yong Hian Wah was Teoh’s former employer.

Blood stains on the collar

Earlier, Nazri said that he was reminded of the note, more than a year after Teoh’s death, when he was ordered at the inquest to engage a psychiatrist to evaluate Teoh’s family members.

He said he had contacted Permai Hospital consultant forensic psychiatry Dr Badi’ah Yahya who asked if there were any letters or notes among Teoh’s belongings.

“On Oct 7, 2009, while I was checking the exhibits in the office, Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohamad Abazafree informed me that I was about to testify at the inquest.

“I contacted Badiah on things which should be considered from the psychological point of view. She told me that normally in a suicide case, there would be a letter or a note. She asked me to check if Teoh had left any notes.

“I told her I didn’t find any but as I was arranging the exhibits I came across the sheets of paper and a note among Teoh’s belongings and immediately called an officer to translate it,” said Nazri.

Earlier, the investigating officer’s testimony drew laughter from the courtroom when he said that forensics pathologists had reconstructed Teoh’s fall using a “mineral water bottle and a teddy bear”.

Bar Council lawyer Cheow Wee also asked Nazri about the pen in Teoh’s blazer pocket.

The pen was apparently given to Teoh, who was waiting at Plaza Masalam’s lobby before being escorted to the 14th floor office of the MACC on July 15, 2009.

Pointing at a photograph of Teoh’s sprawled body on the fifth floor corridor, Cheow asked Nazri if he wondered why was the pen still in the pocket.

According to Cheow, the pen was just put inside without being clipped to the pocket.

Nazri said he had spotted the pen and later sent it together with Teoh’s clothing and other belongings to the Chemistry Department.

The commission also heard that that no weapon such as wood or iron pipe, was found at the office of the MACC at Plaza Masalam.

Nazri said the search was conducted at the office of MACC investigating officers, Anuar Ismail and Mohd Ashraf Mohd Yunus (the officers who questioned Teoh), in the toilet, ceiling and surrounding areas.

He said he also did not find any sign of a struggle there.

Teoh was found dead on the fifth floor corridor of Plaza Masalam in Shah Alam on July 16, 2009, after being questioned overnight by the MACC.

Questioned by lawyer Muhammad Shafee on an allegation that Teoh was hit on the head and whether he saw blood dripping from Teoh’s head, Nazri said there was some blood stains on the right side of the collar.

He said there was more blood dripping down from Teoh’s head to the floor, reported Bernama.

Nazri, who was the 12th witness, was also asked on an allegation that before Teoh fell, a hard object was inserted into his anus, to which he said, there was no proof to show it happened.

He also said that the tear on Teoh’s trousers was due to the impact of his fall.

Nazri said that on the day Teoh was questioned, three other people were also called for questioning and they were Kajang Municipal Council member Tan Boon Wah and two contractors, Lee Wai Leng and another by the name of Harun.

Questioned whether they had complained of being treated badly by MACC officers, Nazri said: “I only remember Boon Wah saying that he was ordered to stand for several hours. There was no complaint from the other two.”

Earlier, Nazri said the time of Teoh’s death could be determined if the wrist watch worn by the political aide stopped when it fell and if it could be found. The search at the scene only found the strap of the wrist watch.

Proceeding continues on Monday.