An Open Letter to the Voters of the Sabah Region
[Statement by Teoh Beng Hock Association for Democratic Advancement on August 23, 2025, at a press conference at Hotel Kinabalu Daya, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah]
Dear Respected Voters of the Sabah Region,
The Teoh Beng Hock Association for Democratic Advancemen (TBH-ADA) is a human rights organization that supports the family of Teoh Beng Hock in their pursuit of truth and justice. For the past fifteen years, we have tirelessly demanded justice for Teoh Beng Hock and spoken out for other victims who died in custody or as a result of torture.
Last week, we participated in two solidarity gatherings in Kuala Lumpur—one at Parliament and another at SOGO—in support of the 13 year old Zara Qairina Mahathir. We believe that Zara’s death, which occurred on the same day (July 16) as Teoh Beng Hock’s, is highly suspicious. Sixteen years ago, the police immediately classified Teoh Beng Hock’s fatal fall as a “sudden death”; sixteen years later, Zara’s fatal fall in Sabah has been similarly categorized by the police as a “sudden death.”
The police hastily closed the case without considering the possibility of foul play, raising serious concerns about whether the authorities are protecting privileged individuals from accountability. Teoh Beng Hock died in the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) building following a marathon interrogation. To this day, not a single official has been held criminally accountable. Do those in power still believe in the rule of law?
Torture is everywhere. Whether it’s bullying and abuse among students in schools, prolonged interrogation or forced confessions in MACC or police custody, neglect of health conditions in prisons and immigration detention centres, or forced physical training that exceeds human limits during military drills—these are clearly forms of torture and constitute of human rights violations.
We emphasize that torture is a systemic issue in Malaysian society. Abuse of detainees by law enforcement officers, power imbalances within the military hierarchy, and group dynamics or class-based bullying among students all tip the scales of justice. In such unequal relationships, the vulnerable are often harmed or even killed.
The recurring issues of torture and custodial deaths — Zara, Teoh Beng Hock, Soosaimanicckam, Wan Ahmad Faris Wan Abdul Rahman, and others — have forced the Malaysian people to confront this urgent crisis. Our criminal justice system is in tatters. The principles of justice in our society are gradually collapsing. The lives of our citizens are becoming casualties of a decaying system.
Therefore, on the eve of the Sabah regional election, the Teoh Beng Hock Association for Democratic Advancement respectfully urges all people of the Sabah region to make “Justice” the theme of the upcoming election. Demand that all political parties commit to repairing the criminal justice system, upholding the principles of justice, and protecting the right to life of all citizens.
Before or during the election, if voters meet any candidates, please ask them: When will the victims of torture — Zara, Teoh Beng Hock, Soosaimanicckam, Faris, and others —receive justice? When will the perpetrators be brought to justice? Will they support the enactment of Anti-Torture Act to abolish all forms of torture and prevent the emergence of new victims?
We also call on the people of Sandakan and Tawau to actively participate in our two public forums titled “Justice for Zara and Beng Hock,” which will be held on August 23 at 7:30 PM (at the Sandakan Senior Citizens’ Association) and on August 24 at 3:00 PM (at Dewan HBP, Tawau).
Teoh Beng Hock Association for Democratic Advancement
告沙巴选民书
[赵明福民主促进会文告，2025年8月23日于沙巴亚庇Hotel Kinabalu Daya的记者会上发出]
各位尊敬的沙巴邦选民，
赵明福民主促进会是支持赵明福家属争取真相和正义的人权组织，我们十五年来风雨无阻要求还赵明福公道，同时也为其它遭受酷刑和扣留所死亡的受害者发声。
上个星期，我们参与了吉隆坡国会和SOGO两场团结声援沙巴女童扎拉的集会活动。我们认为与明福同日逝世(7月16日)的扎拉的死亡太过蹊跷，16年前的赵明福坠楼案件第一时间被警方列为“猝死”，16年后扎拉的坠楼案件一样被警方列为“猝死”。
警方在没有考虑他杀的可能性下，草草针对扎拉之死结案，不得不令人心生疑惑，当局是否在保护特权人士免受责罚。赵明福在反贪委员会马拉松式拷问下死于反贪会建筑物，至今无一官员被追究刑事责任，掌权者还当法治是一回事吗？
酷刑无所不在。无论是学生在校园中进行霸凌虐待，还是反贪会或警方在扣留所内冗长盘问或刑求逼供，监狱和移民厅扣留中心忽视健康的条件，还是军训中强迫参训学员进行超越体能极限的活动，都属于侵犯人权的酷刑。
我们强调，酷刑是马来西亚社会的系统性问题。执法人员在执行职责期间对被扣留者滥用暴力，还是军队内上下级之间的权力不平等致使酷刑，还是校园内学生的阶级或成群结队意识，都让正义的天秤倾斜，弱势者在这样的不对等关系中被杀害或伤害。
这数年来不断浮现的各种酷刑及扣留所死亡议题，包括扎拉、赵明福、苏赛玛尼、法里斯等等，都迫使马来西亚人民面对这迫切的问题。我们刑事正义制度千疮百孔，我们社会的正义原则正在逐渐崩溃，我国子民的性命正不断成为败坏制度的牺牲品。
因此，值此沙巴邦选举前夕，赵明福民主促进会发表谨建议所有沙巴邦人民，将“正义”订立为即将来临选举的主题，要求所有政党对修复刑事正义制度、捍卫正义原则、保护子民的生命权。
选举之前或选举期间，若选民遇到各党候选人，请问问他们，扎拉、赵明福、苏赛玛尼、法里斯等等酷刑受害者，何时能够获得正义？加害人何时会被绳之以法？他们是否会支持制订反酷刑法，取缔任何形式的酷刑，避免再有任何新的受害者出现。
我们也呼吁山打根和斗湖的人民，踊跃参与我们将于8月23日傍晚7点半（山打根乐龄会）和8月24日下午3时正（斗湖Dewan HBP）举办的两场“为扎拉和明福伸张正义”公共论坛。
赵明福民主促进会