KUALA LUMPUR (July 17): A goodwill contribution by the country’s anti-corruption agency to the family of the late Teoh Beng Hock comes with no strings attached, said DAP secretary general Anthony Loke Siew Fook.

The ex-gratia payment offer by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is intended solely to secure the future of Teoh’s child, Loke said at a press conference on Thursday, stressing that the family remains free to speak out and pursue justice still elusive 16 years after his death.

“We sincerely hope the Teoh family will consider accepting it,” he said.

Teoh, who served as a political aide to former Selangor state executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah, was found dead on July 16, 2009, after being questioned overnight by antigraft investigators at their Plaza Masalam headquarters in Shah Alam, Selangor.

On Wednesday, MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki offered the goodwill contribution as a “gesture of compassion” and extended a public apology to the Teoh family for their prolonged pain and suffering. The family has reportedly rejected the apology, calling it insincere.

In May, the Attorney General’s Chambers classified the case as requiring “no further action” — a decision that has brought heavy criticism upon DAP as the party had been one of the most vocal voices demanding justice for Teoh during its years in opposition.

The Malaysian government previously paid RM600,000 in compensation to Teoh’s family in 2015, alongside RM60,000 in legal costs as a full and final settlement under the Civil Law Act 1956.

In 2014, the Court of Appeal overturned the open verdict of the Coroner’s Court. Public outrage following Teoh's death led to a Royal Commission of Inquiry being set up in 2011, which concluded that he was driven to suicide due to aggressive interrogation.

At Thursday’s press conference, Loke was joined by Ean Yong, DAP vice-chairman Teo Nie Ching, and Selangor DAP chief Ng Sze Han in bowing “in respect and sorrow” to Teoh’s family — acknowledging that the investigation remains incomplete and has yet to meet the family’s expectations.

Nevertheless, Loke reiterated DAP’s unwavering commitment to uncovering the truth behind Teoh’s death.

“Should new critical evidence emerge, the DAP reaffirms its commitment to providing full legal support,” he added.

Read also:
MACC apologises, offers ex-gratia payment to Teoh Beng Hock’s family 16 years after his death