VIDEO l 1:10 mins
Emotions run high in the Kuala Lumpur High Court when Teoh Beng Hock’s fiancee took the stand today.
 When questioned by the family’s counsel Gobind Singh Deo on the marriage preparations prior to Teoh’s death, Sor Cher Wei, 32 (left), burst into tears.
High Court Judge Rosnaini Saub had initially tried to calm her down, but then ordered a 10-minute recess.
Teoh’s parents and younger sister, who were also in the courtroom, also failed to fight back tears.
Teoh’s family had filed a negligence suit against the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and 13 others.
Several MACC officers, who were named as defendants, were also present.
Teoh, 30, who was political aide to a Selangor state executive councillor, was found dead on the fifth floor of Plaza Masalam in Shah Alam on July 16 2009, after he was interrogated at the Selangor MACC office on the 14th floor of the same building.
Stressing her belief that Teoh did not commit suicide, Soh had regained her calm after the hearing resumed by 2pm.
She said that the family members had not recovered from their sorrow even though the incident happened four years ago, as they were still in the dark over Teoh’s cause of death.
“My son can no longer meet his father… he can only mention that ‘father is black’ now.
“This is because he sees the clothes that the family and I wear when we fight for justice for Teoh. And the clothes are all in black or white,” she said in her written statement.
Soh admitted that Teoh was happy but shocked upon learning about her pregnancy in June 2009, which was not planned.
To senior federal counsel Azizan Md Arshad’s suggestion that her pregnancy had caused Teoh emotional disruption, Soh agreed.
Subsequently, Teoh family’s counsel Gobind Singh Deo, in his examination, requested Soh to elaborate on this.
Soh explained that the emotional disruption was a “positive” one, as they had planned for marriage but not for having children.
 Later, Gobind sought Judge Roshaini’s permission to call Teoh’s parents and younger sister to testify tomorrow, and several journalist on Friday.
Thai pathologist Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand (right) is scheduled to be present as one of the plaintiff’s main witnesses, but Gobind had yet to reveal the date.
17 Nov – Democracy Now! workshop in Johor Bahru， Co-organised with ENGAGE, the workshop held at Engage centre, Taman Molek, JB.
 More photos please click HERE
First Democracy Now! workshop in KL (Mandarin verwsion), more than twenty persons actively participated in discussion and planning non-violent movement. We also started our mobile democracy book shop!
 More photos please click HERE.
A group of Malaysian social activists today opened a school as a tribute to the late Teoh Beng Hock, four years after his death, with the aim of making state violence and political persecutions a thing of the past.
‘Malaysians for Beng Hock’ coordinator Ng Yap Hwa said the movement hopes the Democracy Academy of Malaysia (DAM) can help to educate and empower citizens to actively participate in the civil rights movement.
 Teoh, 30, who was political aide to a Selangor state executive councillor, was found dead on the fifth floor landing of Plaza Masalam in Shah Alam on July 16, 2009.
He was, until then, being interrogated by the Selangor office of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission on the 14th floor of the same building.
“Teoh Beng Hock symbolises the young generation rising to the political challenges and demands for a change in the general election in 2008,” Ng said in a statement.
“We firmly hold that social movements must continue with their mission to empower the people to bring about the democratic reforms that we so much desire.”
 DAM will conduct training programmes and workshops across the country on democracy and human rights. It is hoped that the graduates of these courses will become the drivers to further democratising Malaysia.
The advisers to the academy include veteran social activists such as Abdul Samad Said (Pak Samad), Ong Boon Keong, Dr Wong Chin Huat and Dr Toh Kin Woon, Ng (right) said.
Five short courses – Education for Democracy, Community Organising, Introduction to Political Economy, Understanding Draconian Laws and Your Rights and the Basics of Child Rights Convention – have planned to kick off DAM’s acitivities.
Details of the training can be obtained from its Facebook site.
25 Oct 2013, Press Statement by Malaysians for Beng Hock
 Malaysians for Beng Hock hereby announce the setting up of the Democracy Academy of Malaysia that conducts trainings and workshops across the country on democracy and human rights. Through these courses, we aim to train and empower more citizens to actively participate in social movements to drive the democratisation of our country, and to eventually achieve a society that is free of state violence and political persecutions.
The Democracy Academy of Malaysia, which is under the advisory of veteran social activists Datuk Abdul Samad Said (Pak Samad), Mr. Ong Boon Keong, Dr. Wong Chin Huat and Dr. Toh Kin Woon, will kick off with the rolling out of five short courses – Education for Democracy, Community Organising, Introduction to Political Economy, Understanding Draconian Laws and Your Rights, and the Basic of Child Rights Convention. In this series of courses, Education for Democracy is designed to provide a general foundation to the learning of the rest. On the other hand, the course on child’s rights is specifically written in response to the BN government’s attempt to clampdown on children’s participation in the Himpunan Hijau in Raub.
The academy is also set up to pay tribute to Teoh Beng Hock, an innocent victim who lost his life in a political scheme orchestrated by the BN to depose the Selangor state government in 2009. Teoh Beng Hock symbolises the young generation who rises to the political challenges and demands for a change in the general election in 2008. Many have joined the political and social workforces right after the election, and have relentlessly devoted themselves to push for democratisation of our country. It is in this spirit of determination that the academy will strive to facilitate Malaysia’s transition to a truly democratic state.
5 months have passed since the 13th GE. While many are disappointed over the unsuccessful regime change, Malaysians for Beng Hock believes that democratisation is a continual and long-term endeavor that is unlikely to take place over the course of one election or a mass demonstration. We firmly hold that the social movements must continue its mission to empower the people to bring about democratic reforms that we much desire.
We wish that through the democracy academy of Malaysia, and collaborations with our allies, we can help more people acquire a deeper understanding of democracy and human rights, and engage in participatory practices that cultivate necessary skills and aptitude, to direct the development of our communities and our country towards a path where more freedom, democracy and social justice is possible.
Please contact us at 012-2658448 or akademidemokrasi@gmail.com to enquire details about the trainings. Our website address : https://www.facebook.com/democracyacademy
Ng Yap Hwa
Coordinator
Malaysians for Beng Hock
teohbenghock.org
15th July 2013
Malaysians for Beng Hock Movement Announcement
Teoh Beng Hock’s Memorial Service cum Symposium on “The Path of Human Rights” on 4th Anniversary of his Death
Malaysians for Beng Hock and KL & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall will hold the memorial service and symposium on “The Path of Human Rights”. The talk consists of panelists like Human Rights Attorney Mr. M. Visvanathan.
We sincerely welcome everyone to attend the event, forming solidarity for not forgetting what had happened in Teoh Beng Hock’s political assassination 4 years ago, and supporting the family in the pursuit of justice. Malaysians for Beng Hock also hopes to provide a platform for civil society’s engagement in democratic and civil right movements, in order to prevent further political prosecution and human right abuse.
Teoh Beng Hock’s incident in 2008 had enraged general public and drawned attention towards cases of national violence. As trials went on, people realised that our government agencies conspired to protect the officials, and the judicial court was feeble to seek justice for the victim and his family. Subsequently, the public was also well aware of in-custody death cases, which were ofttimes related to proceeding malpractice and negligence towards loss of human lives. Teoh Beng Hock’s case has incited enough observation and reflections, which should be reinforced to demand mechanism against unlawful torture, thus end the series of horrendous incidents.
Based on report from Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM), 209 deaths were found in custody from 2000 till 2012, but there is only less than 1% of cases being made public. Anti-national violence movement was urging the government to establish coroner’s court since last year.
Political tsunami in 2008 has opened a window of opportunity for political reform, as well as civic consciousness on human rights, that contributes initiatives to reform the government. With such unprecedented participation, civic movement has started to set foot in Malaysia. Social health lies in supervision of power, in which it is not enough to only rely on internal and anti-alienating mechanisms, but under watch of the society itself.
Regardless of legislative, executive and judiciary bodies, from the highest authority to the local government, it is the duty for those who are vested in power to have a say and look after the people. In other words, civil society with social supervisory function is an integral part of the political structure, for the internal and external supervision to work closely with, in order to complement each other.
Malaysians for Beng Hock movement
teohbenghock.org
(Should you have any enquiry, please contact the coordinator __________________________________________ 012-2658448)
Sejarah penderaan rakyat di lokap pihak penguatkuasa adalah satu senarai yang penuh dengan darah dan air mata. Mangsanya termasuk Anwar, Beng Hock, Kugan, Dharmendran dan lain-lain. Bulan Julai ialah ulang tahun kematian Beng Hock ke-4, kami menjemput semua menyertai teater Selak : Serak. Harga tiket dari RM25 hingga RM50.
KUALA LUMPUR (June 26): In a landmark decision in a death-in-custody case, A Kugan’s family won the suit against the government and the police with the High Court awarding close to RM1 million in damages.
The family’s matriarch N Indra had claimed for damages for false imprisonment, assault, negligence, misfeasance of public office and breach of statutory duties.
Kugan died while he was under police detention from Jan 14 to 20, 2009. Then 23, he was detained as a luxury car theft suspect.
Indra named then-Selangor police chief Datuk Seri Khalid Abu Bakar as the first defendant; former police constable V Navindran (second defendant); former Subang Jaya police chief ACP Zainal Rashid Abu Bakar (third defendant) ; the Inspector-General of Police (fourth defendant); and, the government as fifth defendant in RM100 million suit filed last year.
Khalid is the current Inspector-General of Police, while Zainal has since passed away.
In his judgment, Justice Datuk V T Singham said there was sufficient evidence to establish claims of assault and negligence, citing the nature of injuries which “spoke volumes”.
Post-mortem revealed that Kugan suffered 45 external injuries and widespread internal injuries although Singham noted that Navindran could not have inflicted the injuries alone, suggesting others took part in the torture.
Singham also chastised Khalid for not clarifying his statement over Kugan’s cause of death. Khalid had previously told the media that the 22-year-old died from water in the lungs.
Khalid then kept mum after the second post-mortem results were revealed which indicated otherwise.
Singham said the Khalid should have known his version flew “across the face of truth”.
The judge, who is set to retire soon, also noted “glaring material contradictions” among Khalid and other witnesses in the investigation into Kugan’s death.
He went on to commend N Surendran – who was also a witness for the case – for pushing for a second post-mortem and established the cause of death, which could have been swept under the “blue carpet”, resulting in a “black day for justice”.
“If Khalid was transparent and had no intention of covering up, he should have been the first person to initiate a detailed investigation instead of waiting for a report to be lodged first,” Singham said.
He also noted a number of matters which he said had no reasonable explanation, including limiting the investigation to assault and battery instead of complying with the attorney-general’s request for the matter to be investigated for murder; why was Kugan brought to the lock up in Taipan USJ instead of the Petaling Jaya lock-up as stated in the arrest warrant of which constituted a contempt of court; and how was it Khalid could state that hs officers did not contravene any regulations.
Singham then called for the proposed Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) to be implemented immediately in view of the sharp rise in custodial deaths.
“The suggestions must not be in cold storage,” he said.
Singham however pointed out that the acts of certain police officers did not reflect the entire force, a sentiment he expressed a few times in his more than two-hour judgement.
The police force, he stressed, were not on trial but the officers who committed the crime.
Singham then awarded the family a total of RM851,700 in cost and damages.
As the minister responsible for transparency and good governance, Paul Low should surely act against the anti-corruption officers involved in the death of DAP aide Teoh Beng Hock.
PJ Selatan MP Hee Loy Sian in a statement today said Low should step up efforts to settle various cases in which involvement of those in authority have been proven.
 “As a person of integrity and responsibility, Paul Low ought to make an effort to settle all the cases where it has been clearly shown that those in authority are at fault.
“In the case of Teoh, he should have the power to immediately act against the five Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) officers who are alleged to have been involved in the death of the aide of Ean Yong Hian Wah,” he said.
“As a minister responsible for integrity and human rights, Low should not hesitate in charging the five MACC officers, and (should not) protect those involved, and should not ignore the human rights concerns of Malaysians.”
Hee said with Low’s background as the former chief of Transparency International Malaysia, he should not “sell out (the NGO’s ideals) just to win the hearts of interested parties”.
 He said the minister’s dallying over the matter of implementing the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) “is seen to be an attempt to protect government agencies that are ‘problematic’ from facing punishment”.
“The reluctance of Paul L ow to implement the IPCMC is most regrettable.
“It proves that Prime Minister Najib Razak’s government does not have the honesty to solve the many cases of death in custody that go against human rights.
“I am sure the people also want to see the Scorpene cases handled in a transparent manner, because the present level of corruption plaguing the current administration is extremely serious,” he said.
 The controversy over Low’s stand on the IPCMC – that was recommended by a royal commission of inquiry in 2005 – continues to rage on even as the number of deaths in custody this year continue to climb, with the most recent being a Japanese national in Subang Jaya last Saturday.
The especially gruesome circumstances of N Dhamendran’s death on May 21 in particular has sparked renewed calls for the IPCMC to be finally implemented, with calls coming even from BN component parties.
|
Malaysians for Beng Hock
-
Democracy Now! workshop in Johor Bahru
17 Nov – Democracy Now! workshop in Johor Bahru， Co-organised with ENGAGE, the workshop held at Engage centre, Taman Molek, JB. More photos please click HERE
Video |
Comments