Lee Way Loon
Jul 17, 10
1:51pm
A year has passed since the tragic passing of Teoh Beng Hock, but his family is still unable to come to terms with his death.
During an emotional speech at Beng Hock’s memorial last night, his younger sister Lee Lan said her family’s inability to reconcile with the death was due to the lack of answers forthcoming from the authorities.
Often fighting back tears, Lee Lan appealed to the 1,000-strong crowd at the Kuala Lumpur-Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall to offer “nothing but support” for the family’s fight for the truth.
“Your support gives us strength. I’m standing here before you because my family is seeking justice. Our family cannot reconcile with (Beng Hock’s) death.
“He was a good young man and he had left us. He didn’t even have the opportunity to cradle his own baby,” said Lee Lan, referring to Teoh’s son, born recently.
“We are not asking for much, only justice. We are worried that we may not have enough strength to pull through,” she said.
Lee Lan has over the past year been the main spokesperson for Beng Hock’s family.
Family worried inquest will be inconclusive
Lee Lan’s speech was punctuated with sombre applause at every major junction, while tears flowed for some among the audience.
“The inquest will soon come to an end and we are worried that the finding would be inconclusive. That is why we hope you will support us.
“We don’t know how long this will take, but we promise that we will pursue (the truth) till the end and I hope you will all stand by us,” said Lee Lan, who at one point apologised for not being a good orator.
After Lee Lan’s short speech, a short tribute video clip was screened depicting Beng Hock’s happier moments.
The video clip featured Beng Hock’s photographs and his last known video recording, albeit only his voice could be heard as he was behind the camera.
Earlier, Beng Hock’s family, along with DAP leaders and their Pakatan Rakyat comrades, took to the stage in a solemn ceremony to place red palm prints on a massive banner.
Rosmah dragged in too
Following this, Penang Chief Minister and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng spoke in a lengthy speech casting doubts at the authorities’ attempt to paint Beng Hock’s death as a suicide.
Guan Eng, as he had done many times before, reasoned to the crowd that there was no way Beng Hock would have committed suicide as he was due to register his marriage to his pregnant
sweetheart, Soh Cher Wei, the day after he was grilled by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
“I want to ask Najib: Would you commit suicide if you’re going to marry Rosmah tomorrow?” asked Guan Eng.
While most of the crowd shouted “No”, a significant portion shouted “Yes! Yes!” breaking the mood of the otherwise sombre memorial event.
Realising that his attempt to trigger an uniform response was not very successful, Guan Eng quickly added, “No! Because he loves Rosmah!”, forcing most of his audience to laugh.
T
hus, according to Guan Eng, to argue that Beng Hock commit suicide was illogical.
“No one believes this. Only the wicked, and those who want to insult Beng Hock’s family, would say so,” he said.
One year is too long
Guan Eng also lambasted the authorities for failing to provide answers to Beng Hock’s family although a year had passed.
Comparing investigations on Beng Hock’s death to that of pop superstar Michael Jackson, Guan Eng said the the probe into the latter’s death was swift.
“Michael Jackson died on June 25. It has been one year and the person responsible (for his death) is already being punished.
“Beng Hock died a year ago and we are still as far from the truth as we were a year ago,” he said.
Guan Eng then jokingly suggested that the authorities should employ the services of the investigation team into Jackson’s death to expedite the probe into Beng Hock’s death.
Guan Eng was among a long list of speakers during the memorial, which included DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang, Selangor legislative assembly speaker Teng Chang Khim and Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar.
MACC chief flayed
In her speech, Nurul Izzah said Beng Hock’s mysterious death and her father Anwar Ibrahim’s arsenic poisoning incident were reasons for the people’s struggle for reforms.
“A student once told me that while the arsenic incident did not cause anyone to die, now a person being investigated by MACC can result in death,” she said.
In view of this, Nurul Izzah said that the people must not give up hope that the system can be reformed in order for justice to prevail.
Meanwhile, Kit Siang lambasted MACC chief Abu Kassim Mohamed for issuing a statement of condolence a year after Teoh’s death, but also for initially issuing the statement only in Mandarin.
“It is only after public outcry did an English and Bahasa statement appear on their website,” he said.
He added that this has put a large question mark on Abu Kassim’s sincerity and integrity.
Photo credit: Andrew Ong
