Pakatan, reunited by death

The crowd of thousands at the Kelana Jaya stadium to protest the suspecious circumstances surrounding Teoh Beng Hock's death. - Picture by Jack Ooi

By Adib Zalkapli - The Malaysian Insider

PETALING JAYA, July 19 – Showing cracks just recently, a mere 16 months after their historic electoral gains, Pakatan Rakyat (PR) today once again attempted to strengthen their alliance and present a united front days after the death of DAP activist Teoh Beng Hock.

Teoh, political secretary to Selangor executive councillor, Ean Yong Hian Wah, was found dead on July 16 outside the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) office in Shah Alam. The 30-year-old was earlier questioned for alleged abuse of public funds by his superior.

“Beng Hock is our hero,” Datuk Husam Musa, a member of PAS’s central working committee, declared to the some 2,000 people at Teoh’s memorial in Stadium Kelana Jaya.

“There is no doubt that Beng Hock was murdered,” the PAS leader told the crowd who were mostly clad in black for the memorial. “Malaysia is not safe anymore,” he added.

Just days before, MACC opened investigations on seven Selangor lawmakers, including Ean Yong Hian Wah, the state executive councillor came under attack from Pakatan’s own backbenchers.

PKR’s Azmin Ali, who is the party’s chief whip in the state assembly, called for the executive council posts to be reshuffled, questioning the ability of some of the members of the administration to perform their duties.

Protestors burning copies of Umno-owned Berita Minggu for turning anger over Teoh Beng Hock's death into a racial issue. - Picture by Jack Ooi

PKR MP Wee Choo Keong, who left DAP to form his own party before standing on the party’s ticket in Election 2008, joined in to accuse an unnamed state executive councillor of having ties with secret societies.

Today, leaders of the three PR parties, including Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, shared a stage to take advantage of the public anger over Teoh’s sudden death.

“How can a bright young man walk into MACC office as a witness, only to return as a dead body?” DAP strongman Lim Kit Siang asked the crowd.

Lim reiterated his stand for Royal Commission of Inquiry to be formed to investigate the death, adding that Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s cabinet should resign if that did not happen.

He also asked for the cabinet to take responsibility and demanded that MACC chief commissioner Datuk Seri Ahmad Said Hamdan resign over Teoh’s death.

Lim dismissed the suggestion by Malay dailies today that the federal opposition was trying to undermine Malay-led institutions.

“MACC is not a Malay institution, it is a Malaysian institution,” declared the DAP veteran.

After the speeches PR supporters were seen burning copies of Malay newspapers to express their anger over the articles criticising the opposition for allegedly politicising Teoh’s death.

The rally ended just before sunset with DAP chairman Karpal Singh declaring that the party will take MACC to court.

Teoh’s funeral will be held tomorrow at his hometown, Malacca, and Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is expected to attend.