Request to exhume Teoh’s body this week

The family of dead DAP political aide Teoh Beng Hock will make an application to exhume his body as early as this Tuesday or Wednesday for a second post mortem by renowned Thai pathologist Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand.

Lawyer Gobind Singh Deo, who is acting for Teoh’s family in an ongoing inquest probing the circumstances surrounding the death! said he has been instructed by the deceased’s family to make the application.

“Dr Pornthip is confident that she can still carry out a post-mortem on the body so long it’s done within six months. So time is of the essence,” Gobind said today.

The body of the 30-year-old former political secretary to Selangor executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah was found on the 5th floor landing of Plaza Masalam, Shah Alam on July 16.

He was hauled up by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to their office located on the 14th floor of the building the day before to help investigations into alleged misuse of state allocations by Pakatan Rakyat (PR) state lawmakers.

By MACC’s own admission, Teoh was only a witness to their investigations.

They have denied any responsibility for his death and maintained he was released earlier that morning.

Pathologist from two local hospitals along with the police have attributed Teoh’s death to suicide, a claim which has been denied by his family because he was to be married the following day.

The renowned pathologist, hired by the Selangor state government, testified during the inquest on Wednesday that Teoh death was “80 per cent homicide”.

She added Teoh’s injuries showed he could have been strangled and that he sustained anal penetration before he fell to his death, on July 16.

Gobind today said he hopes the Attorney-General (AG) and the MACC will support the family’s application for the body to be exhumed so a second post-mortem can be carried out.

“I am surprised the AG did not initiate the applications because Pornthip has testified based on the pictures and post mortem report, prepared by local pathologists,” said Gobind.

He said Dr Pornthip should be allowed to carry out her own post-mortem so there will be no allegations that her views are inaccurate because she did not see Teoh’s body.

During her testimony on Wednesday Dr Pornthip told the coroner court she would like an opportunity to carry out her own autopsy on Teoh.

However magistrate Azmil Muntapha Abas, the inquest’s acting coroner, indicated it may be too late to do so at this stage.

When contacted today Teoh’s sister, Lee Lan said they would leave it to Gobind to explain the family’s view to the press


comments

There is a possibility that this second autopsy may be denied on grounds that it is not within the scope of the this inquest (ie Scope was - To investigate MACC interrogation method - just another technical reason for delaying justice to the family).

I believe PM Najib gave his word that no stone will be left unturned in this investigation... I guess time will only tell if he meant business or mere just talking.. I am still hoping for justice to prevail.