The hearse bearing Teoh Beng Hock’s body leads the way as the funeral procession starts. — Picture by Choo Choy May
ALOR GAJAH, July 20 — Since the body of Teoh Beng Hock arrived in his family home on Friday, crowds of family, friends, and politicians have gathered in the modest neighbourhood to pay their last respects.
The morning of his funeral was no different. By 8.40am, hundreds of mourners including DAP lawmakers were already in attendance at the Teoh family home.
However, the lid of the casket has been completely removed for a last viewing before the funeral begins.
Everyone is calm, as family and friends prepare to say their final goodbye to Teoh. The atmosphere is casual outside under the tent but hushed inside the house.
At 8.50am, people start forming a queue: one by one, they light a joss stick at an altar set up in the front to face the crowd. The funeral band arrives.
As the siblings perform the last rites at the altar, Teoh’s younger sister is seen crying openly. It is a heart-wrenching moment in this human drama that has gripped the nation.
The crowd grows in size and you can see it is multi-racial in make-up: Malays, Indians and, of course, Chinese.
Teoh’s mother, Teng Shuw Hor, who has looked shell-shocked throughout the many hours of the wake, is breaking down. She is crying loudly and Teoh’s godmother is hysterical. Family members try to calm her down and take her away from the casket.
The wailing is heard all the way down the nine-house long tent. Teoh’s casket is now placed behind the altar and several people in the crowd are seen crying.
At 9.20am, the lid of the casket is taped shut and a yellow cloth is draped over it. On it is some Chinese writing, prayers presumably.
The priest performs the last rites but Teoh’s parents are inside the house. It is customary in Chinese culture for the parents not to participate in the funeral of a child.
DAP’s Lim Kit Siang, who is among the mourners, said: “This shouldn’t have happened. It happened because MACC launched a war against Pakatan Rakyat. Najib must stop this war.”
He was referring to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) on-going investigation into the misuse of state allocations by Selangor DAP assemblymen. Teoh Beng Hock was hauled in for questioning by the agency on July 15 in connection with the investigation.
The political aide to Seri Kembangan assemblyman Ean Yong Hian Wah was found dead outside the MACC headquarters in Shah Alam the next day.
While Teoh’s siblings continue with the funeral rites, the crowd has grown to more than 500. Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and DAP’s Karpal Singh have arrived for the funeral.
At about 9.40am, Teoh’s fiancee Soh Cher Wei performs the last rites. Overcome by emotions, Teoh’s mother comes out of the house and starts wailing and crying. Teoh’s siblings are also overcome. Soh, who at first looked composed, starts to cry as well.
Non-family members are invited to pay their last respects. They come forward to the altar and bow. Among those seen paying their respects are Karpal Singh and his son Gobind.
DAP’s Teresa Kok then makes a farewell speech to Teoh. “You cared for the people and the country. We bid you farewell. Rest in peace.”
At a little after 10am, opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim arrives at the funeral with Datuk Chua Jui Meng and Azmin Ali.
Anwar, Chua and PAS Youth chief Salahuddin Ayub bow twice at the altar and Teoh’s family “replied” with one bow.
The heavy presence of politicians at the funeral is threatening to turn the gathering into a political one as the crowd jostles forward for a chance to rub shoulders with the Pakatan heavyweights. The crowd number has now swelled to more than 1,000.
The entire stretch of the road to the house is now filled with people, all keen to accompany Teoh on his final journey.
Ten minutes before 11am, the casket is loaded onto the hearse. The funeral procession begins. Teoh’s siblings walk behind the hearse, one hand on it as it proceeds slowly out of the housing estate.
PR politicians are walking behind them, the road is lined with hundreds of people, many holding banners and posters. One of them reads, “Jangan biarkan Beng Hock mati sia-sia.”
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