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speak up!
IT IS well past midnight. Terence
Fernandez and I are holed up in a
cubicle in central London which
is costing us RM500 a night to
rest our heads and he goes on a
tirade: “We have to take some
responsibility for this. We sup-
ported the MACC Bill arguing that
something is better than nothing
and look what has happened?”
Because of the time difference
(seven hours) he had earlier filed
his commentary on the state of
affairs in the graft-busting
exercise. His outburst was un-
derstandable. Hours earlier, our
phones had been buzzing with
calls and messages including one
which touched my conscience:
“The MACC has a dead body on
its hands. What say you?”
Terence was given a gentle
reminder that it would be a
fallacy to pass judgment when
you are some 13,000km away
from the crime scene. Even if we
were there, it would be an exer-
cise in futility speculating how
Teoh Beng Hock died. Anything
said further on the circumstances
leading to his death without
evidence would just mean adding
fuel to the fire.
That’s not the kind of journal-
ism we practise. By coincidence,
we were reminded on Friday
morning at the Centre for Inves-
tigative Journalism at the City
University in London by veteran
financial journalist and investi-
gator, Martin Tomlinson, that
investigative journalism is based
Let the truth be told
on facts – not comment, gossip or
innuendo. The facts, he alluded,
must speak for themselves.
Over the past few days, claims
and counter-claims have been
made by various parties includ-
ing one on the interrogation tech-
niques and methodology used by
the MACC officers. Yet again, it
would be wrong to take it as the
gospel truth without collaboration
or corroborative evidence. And
that is why, our minds wandered
to the afternoon of June 10 when
Terence and I were given a tour
of the offices and operations of the
Independent Commission Against
Corruption in Hongkong (ICAC).
We were shown rooms where
suspects and witnesses had
their statements taken. They are
equipped with video recording
equipment and ICAC’s No. 2,
Daniel Li was quick to explain
the presence of a convex mirror
in a corner of the room. “That
mirror will show all the people
present in the room and no one
can make complaints that our
officers were intimidating them
while their statements were being
recorded.”
At the end of the session, the
interviewee is given a copy of the
TELLING IT AS IT IS
Managing Editor: Chong Cheng Hai
Consultant Editor: Zainon Ahmad
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tions)
recording (which would
help prepare his defence)
while the investigating
officer gets another and
a third is sealed and
deposited in the vault.
“That’s because if the
contents are disputed
by the prosecution or
the defence, the courts
accept the sealed copy as
authentic,” said Li. CitizenNades recorded, look at record-
Since the MACC has
by R. Nadeswaran
been flogging the name of
the ICAC and flaunting its
legislation as “taken from the ICAC”,
one wonders why the methodologies
have not been adopted.
While calls for a royal commission
of inquiry will continue to be made,
what about the various committees
set up under the MACC’s auspices?
One death is one too many. Those
appointed to the MACC oversight
letters
letters@thesundaily.com
Put the nation first
ON the morning before Teoh’s Beng
Hock’s death, I was disturbed about the
MACC’s “selective persecution” of the
Pakatan Rakyat folks in Selangor that I
first called one commissioner, who is a
friend, and complained.
I then sent a text message to another
member of the MACC, to protest. He said
the MACC’s officers had evidence to do
what they are doing; but I argued that “if
there is prima facie evidence, it must be
made public.”
I had seen none till then; other than
the statement, “we have received com-
plaints.” Then I sent an SMS to all three
of my friends in the MACC who were
commissioners advising them that if they
cannot hold their executives for respon-
sible, fair, true, and honest investigations,
Tape all interrogations
THERE are too many allegations of
inappropriate or brutal interrogation
techniques used by the enforcement
agencies.
The recent death of the aide to a Se-
langor executive councillor so soon after
being released by the MACC raises these
allegations to a more serious level.
It is extremely difficult for these
enforcement and investigating agen-
cies to prove that they do not mistreat
their detainees or witnesses under their
care.
The only way to dispel these accusa-
tions would be via video evidence of what
transpired during the interrogations.
I suggest that digital video cameras
Nazri must spell it out
I REFER to “Dearer public transport from
Aug 1” (July 17). When Minister in the
Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri
Nazri Abdul Aziz says public transport
companies “are expected to improve
their level of service after the fare hike”,
it is important to spell out what changes
we can expect, and how he expects
those changes to happen.
He could start by enumerating some
key components of service quality in the
public transport system.
Customers expect the following:
» For buses: Punctuality accord-
ing to a schedule that is displayed; no
overcrowding; comfortable stops; air-
conditioning that works; and safety.
» Taxis: Should be easily available; use
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committees shouldn’t
wait for another before
they start moving. Yes,
they can’t bring Teoh
back to life or console his
distraught parents or the
woman he was to marry
– but they may prevent
more deaths.
They should discuss
how statements should be
ing all interrogations, look
at ways to ensure no one
moans and groans after a
meeting with the MACC. Why are we
taxpayers paying their allowances
and for the “kopi and kuih-muih” at
their meetings? What benefits have
these committees brought since their
inception in March?
While I was in the shower Friday
morning (3pm Malaysian time),
MACC advisory panel member Tan
they should offer to resign.
My intuitive feeling of being disturbed
by the investigations became even more
real later in the day when another friend
called to inform me of Teoh’s death.
Now, the fears and reality of selective
persecution became the fear of selective
prosecution. I told my friend: “The smell
and taste of the news sounds and tastes
very bad.”
Due process must be followed to
establish any truth in a modern system
of governance.
All Malaysians also have a right under
the rule of law to not only exist on earth
but to enjoy the modern privileges and
opportunities of a simple life.
Teoh was, however, denied this fun-
damental right. He had a right to know
are installed in the police stations, MACC
offices, lock-ups, interrogation rooms
and other similar facilities.
The law should be amended that
statements obtained during interroga-
tion are only admissible in court if they
are recorded on video.
The police, MACC and other enforce-
ment agencies should look at this sug-
gestion in a positive manner as these
video evidence would provide conclusive
proof that they do not use illegal means
when interrogating or detaining suspects
or witnesses.
Adri Hemy Abdul Ghani
Jeddah
of meters that are properly calibrated;
no picking and choosing of passengers
according to destination; cleanliness;
and courteous drivers.
What targets has the minister set?
What specific measures has he planned
to make these changes happen? I am
sure he is not so naïve as to think that
errant public transport operators are
going to mend their ways once the fare
increases are implemented .
He needs to do something much
more different from what is being done
and ensure the public transport opera-
tors deliver.
Joseph Paul
Seremban
theSun | MONDAY JULY 20 2009
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Sri Robert Phang called up Terence
to say an emergency meeting is
being held by the panel and follow-
up action will be taken.
Subsequent events may show
that MACC was not responsible for
the tragedy, but will the public ever
believe that? After all, Teoh for all
intents and purposes, was in the
care and custody of the MACC at the
material time.
On a personal note, my condo-
lences go out to Teoh’s family. I can
relate to the grief and agony his loved
ones are going through. The same
question I asked almost five years ago
– why my child? – will be repeated
over and over again. From the bot-
tom of my heart, I can only ask for
one thing: the truth be told minus the
frills and the legalese. That’s the least
we could do for someone who lost
his life on the eve of his marriage.
R. Nadeswaran stopped commenting
on MACC since April after a series of
disappointments over its inaction. But
he has also met many MACC officers
who are passionate about wiping
out corruption. He can be reached at
citizen-nades@thesundaily.com.
“what the prima facie evidence was
before he was interrogated.” Then, he
can choose whether to allow himself to
be interrogated without the presence of
his lawyers.
Ordinary Malaysians, who are not
politicians, can only guess what the “in-
terrogation was about which lasted for
so many hours?” There was no charge,
only an allegation which the authorities
call a report.
I say, enough is enough. I cannot
take even one more death in custody. I
think the MACC chief needs to be held
accountable if he cannot give an honest
and believable report of the incident.
I concur with all who are angry; but
let us moderate the anger into a “force
of influence for positive change!” May all
of us seek God’s guidance on where and
how to vent the internal anger we feel
for the good of this nation we love.
KJ John
Petaling Jaya
Foreign spouses
thankful
FOREIGN spouses of Malaysians laud
the initiative of Home Minister Datuk
Seri Hishammuddin Hussein to clear
the backlog of pending applications
for permanent residency and citizen-
ship.
For years many foreign spouses,
have been residing in the country on
yearly visas, requiring the Malaysian
spouse to be present even for renew-
al of visas. This puts the non-citizen
spouse, especially the women, in a
vulnerable and dependent position.
Foreign spouses have difficulties
getting a job and health care. Only
a few highly educated non-citizen
spouses are able to secure work-per-
mits, as there are many restrictions.
Additionally foreign spouses have
to pay double charges for health care
in government hospitals. Woe if you
are a housewife, for opening a bank
account is near impossible.
Though on paper it is said that
spouses who remain in the country
for five years, can apply for perma-
nent resident status, in practice the
process takes years.
We do hope that the home
minister will also implement clear
guidelines and policies with regard
to the application and approvals of
permanent resident status for the
non-citizen spouses of Malaysians.
We sincerely thank him for going the
extra mile.
Bina Ramanand
Foreign Spouse Support Group