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Police probe Wee’s ‘underworld ties’ claim
by Maria J. Dass
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
SHAH ALAM: Police have begun inves-
tigations into reports against a Selangor
executive council member following
allegations that his office was being
used as a base by underworld figures
to conduct their activities.
Wangsa Maju PKR parliamentarian
Wee Choo Keong, who made the al-
legations in a July 11 blog posting, was
questioned for two-and-a-half-hours
yesterday by officers from the D7 (anti-
vice and gaming) division of the state
police contingent headquarters here.
Looking
for clues ...
Forensic
investigators
examine the body
of Teoh Beng Hock,
political secretary
of Selangor
executive councillor
Ean Yong Hian Wah.
The 30-year-old
was found dead
next to the MACC’s
office yesterday,
after being taken in
for questioning on
Wednesday.
Court allows Anwar access to evidence
by S. Tamarai Chelvi
and Tan Yi Liang
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court
yesterday ordered the prosecution in
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s sodomy trial
to furnish his lawyers with most of the
documents requested.
Justice Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah
overruled objections by deputy public
prosecutor Yusof Zainal Abiden, who
had submitted that all the necessary
evidence had been handed over to the
defence, and ordered the prosecution
to hand over within the next seven
days, CCTV footage of the Desa Daman-
sara condominium as well as medical
reports and witness statements.
Wee later told reporters that he
was interviewed by two officers who
recorded his statement and collected
all documents relating to his allegations
against the executive councillor.
At a press conference later, Selangor
CPO Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar said inves-
tigations were being conducted under
section 233 of the Multimedia Act.
“The Commercial Crimes Depart-
ment and the Criminal Investigations
Department have been tasked to work
on this case,” he said.
Asked why Wee was questioned by
D7 officers, he said Section 233 of the
Multimedia Act allows the police to initi-
He said section 51A of the Criminal
Procedure Code compelled the pros-
ecution to hand over seven witness
statements to the defence.
“I believe the purpose behind the
section is to make the prosecution
process fairer and more open.
“If the defence was supplied with
a copy of the witness statements, it
will allow them to know in advance the
case against the accused. This might
help them prepare a complete and
organised argument,” he said.
However, Zabidin did not grant the
defence access to the original DNA
samples as they had been put in sealed
packets, as well as the video recording
of the statement given by the complain-
ant, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan.
ate investigations which are now being
conducted by the CID and Commercial
Crimes Investigations Department, but
the case will be reclassified if the need
arises.
“We will be calling more witnesses.”
Wee told reporters that he had
named the exco member involved when
he gave his statement to the police.
“I have given them all the relevant
documents,” he said, but would not con-
firm if these included picture and videos.
“It is best you ask the police about
this,” Wee said, while declining to reveal
the identity of the exco member.
He said he had given the names of
Yusof told the court that he would
be appealing against yesterday’s deci-
sion and asked for a stay of the order.
Zabidin told Yusof that he would
have to file a formal application for a
stay. He fixed July 24 for mention of the
case and trial.
When approached after the trial,
Anwar criticised the attempt by the
prosecution to file an appeal against
Zabidin’s decision, saying it was an
another attempt to delay proceedings.
“The key issue here, after looking at
the medical examination, since the medi-
cal records from the four doctors is clearly
in our favour, the case rests on the DNA
swabs, to which we have no access. The
prosecution is delaying it by appealing
and we have to wait for their appeal.”
several informants and complainants
to the police and they may be called
in soon to provide more leads into the
case.
Wee said he had been “advised” by
friends not to play with fire (by raising
the allegations against a fellow Pakatan
Rakyat politician) but said these were
risks that politicians had to take.
Asked about state executive council
member Ronnie Liu’s challenge to him
to “be a man” and name the person
concerned, Wee said: “Don’t push me
too hard. I am a man, that’s why I’m here
speaking to the police. Why is he worried?
I never named him and the other eight
Hisham: Thorough probe
into Teoh’s death
» From Front Page
family to bring in their own pathologist,
if they want a second opinion.
From 4pm, four pathologists from
University Malaya Medical Centre,
Kuala Lumpur Hospital and Klang’s
Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital
(TARH) were called in by the police to
examine Teoh’s body, said Khalid.
“We have to do this due to the sensi-
tivity of the case and to ensure there was
utmost transparency in the probe.”
The body was taken to TARH at
9.15pm and a post mortem is expected
to be carried out at 9.30am today.
Khalid also said a preliminary
examination on the body which was
discovered by a janitor showed no
suspicious injuries except for wounds
consistent with a fall.
“As of now, the case is classified
as sudden death. But we will leave
no stone unturned and there will be
no cover-up of anything for anyone, I
assure (you) this.”
He said several people relevant to
the case, including MACC personnel,
were questioned and had their state-
ments recorded.
About 300 people started gathering
at an entrance of the MACC building
on the fourth floor from 7pm, holding
banners and lit candles.
Khalid said: “We are allowing them
to express themselves and we will give
them ample time.” At 10.30pm, about
three quarters of the crowd left.
Teoh’s family members were allowed
to view the body in TARH at 11.30pm.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Hisham-
muddin Hussein said a thorough
investigation will be carried out by the
authorities on the death of Teoh.
“I have yet to receive a report on the
theSun | FRIDAY JULY 17 2009
excos have not said anything either.”
Liu, at a press conference earlier, said
that he was ready face any interroga-
tion from the police and the Malaysian
Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC)
pertaining to the allegations.
“What do I have to be afraid of, I am
ready if they come, I have not done
anything wrong so what do I have to be
afraid of?” he told reporters.
He said he had yet to be contacted
by the police or MACC officers.
“I have not taken any commissions,
and all the expenditure of my alloca-
tions are stated in my blog - colourblind.
org. I am very transparent.”
incident but there will be a thorough
investigation carried out to find out the
cause of death,” he said at the National
Anti- Drug Agency’s (AADK) Media
Awards in Kuala Lumpur last night.
Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid
Ibrahim, in a press conference, ex-
pressed his condolences to the family
and said the police had given him an
assurance that a thorough investiga-
tion will be conducted.
“They have even agreed to allow
us to appoint an independent patholo-
gist to monitor investigations into the
cause of death. The state will also bear
all costs for the family including funeral
expenses,” he said.
Kota Alam Shah assemblyman M.
Manoharan said Teoh was to register his
marriage. “It’s sad this has happened.”
“We hold the MACC fully responsi-
ble for the death ...” said Sri Andalas
assemblyman Dr Xavier Jayakumar.
“There is clearly oppressive con-
duct because he was not allowed to
have a lawyer present and interroga-
tion was stretched into the early hours
of the morning. The circumstances are
suspicious,” adds Subang Jaya MP R.
Sivarasa.
Selangor exco member Teresa Kok
said: “There’s a lot of unanswered
questions, like why he asked to stay
back in the MACC office, sleep on the
sofa at 3am, and roam about freely?”
Teoh, a former Sin Chew Daily re-
porter for three-and a-half years, was
appointed Ean-Yong’s political secretary
after the general election last year.
Former colleagues at the newspaper
described him as a helpful, kind and op-
timistic man. He was an active member
of the National Union of Journalists and
is said to be “tough” and not likely to
crack under pressure.