Orders came from Putrajaya, says MACC intelligence man

By Debra Chong

SHAH ALAM, Oct 16 — The order to investigate Teoh Beng Hock’s state lawmaker boss for alleged graft came from Putrajaya, a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) intelligence officer told the coroner's court today, hinting at a far more complex turn of events in Pakatan Rakyat-ruled Selangor.

Assistant enforcer Arman Alies told the court investigating the mysterious circumstances surrounding the political aide's death that he was with the national anti-graft body's intelligence division, based in Putrajaya.

He also said the Selangor branch had its own intelligence division and its office was on level 15 of Plaza Masalam, directly above the state office.

Teoh was the political secretary to first-term Selangor executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah. The MACC had called him in on July 15 as a witness to help investigate claims Ean Yong, who is also the DAP state assemblyman for Seri Kembangan, had misused his allowance meant to help residents in his constituency.

The 30-year-old Teoh was found mysteriously dead nine floors below outside the Selangor MACC office here the next day.

His family and employer claim foul play was involved.

Under questioning from lawyer Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, who is acting for the Selangor state government, Arman said he and three other officers from the MACC headquarters had received orders from Putrajaya to get involved with an operation investigating Pakatan Rakyat (PR) assemblymen in Selangor.

“So, orders from Putrajaya, not Selangor?” Malik asked.

Arman gave a firm yes.

His statement, however, seemed to contradict the Selangor MACC officer leading the investigations against PR.

Mohd Anuar Ismail had previously told the inquest that the PR probe was initiated by top anti-graft officials from Selangor.

In his testimony, he named Selangor MACC deputy director Hishamuddin Hashim and investigations unit chief Hairul Ilham Hamzah.

Arman had earlier told the coroner's court that there are two departments in MACC: one is investigations and the other, intelligence.

He explained that investigations officers carried out their work openly while the intelligence division officers do not record statements from witnesses nor take part in operations, and basically work as “supplementary officers” to the investigations division.

To further questions from Malik, the intelligence officer told the court that the office in Putrajaya was in charge of the whole country while the Selangor branch was only limited to work within the state.

Arman replied with an emphatic “yes” when Malik pressed on and asked if the operations involving Teoh’s role at the state level involved the Putrajaya office.

He had earlier testified that he got a phone call at about 8pm on July 15 from the Selangor head of investigations, Hairul, while having dinner with friends.

Hairul asked him to head to the Selangor MACC office on the 14th floor of Plaza Masalam but failed to disclose the details of what he wanted.

It was only in the office that Arman was given the order to look into four hardcover files said to be on Ean Yong and obtained from the district office and check for possible hanky-panky.

But he told the court he did not find any corresponding documents to match four invoices said to be printed from Teoh's laptop despite getting the latter's help to expedite the search.

Lawyer Gobind Singh Deo, representing Teoh's family, put it to Arman that he failed because he was “just trying your luck” and did not really know what to look for.

Arman disagreed.

He also denied Gobind's next suggestion that he was making use of the two hours with Teoh to “break him down psychologically” by continuously pressing him for answers.

Today's inquest ended with only Arman called to the witness box. Magistrate Azmil Muntapha Abas, who is acting as coroner in the inquest, ruled that there was no need to call Teoh's female housemate, Esther Lew Swee Yoong, to testify.

Teoh, from Malacca, had been lodging with Lew and her family at their house in Puchong since entering university here.

The lawyer for MACC, Datuk Abdul Razak Musa, had caused a stir when he argued that Lew's evidence was necessary to determine Teoh's possible state of mind, after insinuating that the relationship between the two may have been more than mere friends.

He noted that Teoh could have lodged with his elder brother Meng Kee, who was also a bachelor and lived in Shah Alam where Teoh worked, and pointed out that the public would be interested to know why he chose to live with a girl.

Gobind jumped to his feet and slammed Abdul Razak for his insensitive insinuations.

"The only person asking that question is you Datuk Razak," a disgusted Gobind charged.

"I don't think all of Malaysia is wondering why a man is sharing a house with a woman," he added.

Azmil, however, pointed out that even if Lew was called to testify on that, it would be a one-sided testimony because Teoh was dead.

The Evidence Act also explicitly barred a lopsided testimony from being entered in court, Azmil added.

He ruled that Lew's evidence on Teoh's state of mind could be put in through an interview with the psychiatrists and he could look at it from there.

The inquest will continue on Oct 21 with famed Thai forensic pathologist Dr Porntip Rojanasunan in the box.