Beng Hock’s family says outraged over ‘suicide note’

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 12 – The family of Teoh Beng Hock expressed outrage today with the Attorney-General’s Chambers for trying to tender as evidence in the coroner’s court a note it said was penned by him before he was found dead under mysterious circumstances last year.

They said it was highly “suspicious” that Attorney-General (AG) Tan Sri Gani Patail’s office would choose to bring up the evidence, speculated in the media to be a suicide note, as the inquiry into Teoh’s death winds down, and ten months after it was allegedly found.

In a statement released from their Malacca home today, they expressed bewilderment as to why the AG had not immediately sought their help after the note was allegedly found among Teoh’s belongings two months after his death.

They also demanded the government hire a handwriting expert to verify the note.

“The AG does not see our pain ... if the inquest has to be restarted, how are we as a family to suffer through this again?

“Is the AG trying to stop us from living normal lives?” the Teoh family said.

Lawyer for the Teohs, Gobind Singh Deo (picture), had accused the government lawyers of holding back crucial evidence and questioned the authenticity of the note at the last inquest on Monday.

“The question on Teoh’s frame of mind in this trial has been used by the prosecution … now we find that they had in their possession a document ‘allegedly’ written by Teoh,” said Gobind.

He said he was very surprised that it was not made known to the coroner or the other lawyers earlier.

“What’s (the point) of giving it to us now, after everyone has given their ideas, testimonies, what use is this to us?” Gobind challenged, adding the AG should have known it was a most significant piece of evidence.

The Puchong MP expressed disbelief at the AG’s explanation that he was initially not convinced of the note’s authenticity as the reason why the evidence was not raised earlier.

“If he’s not convinced of its authenticity then, how is he convinced now, month and months into the inquest?”

Lawyer for the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) led Selangor government, Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, had also hit out at Abdul Gani, for breaching court principles.

“The AG himself has allowed evidence to be put before the public without that evidence having surfaced in court,” Malik told The Malaysian Insider previously.

He said it was regrettable that the AG has chosen to make public the alleged discovery of a note without revealing the circumstances surrounding it.

Abdul Gani has been put on the defensive after his office gave notice in the coroner’s chambers on Monday that they intended to introduce the note as evidence, just before famed Thai pathologist, Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand steps back into the witness box.

Dr Pornthip is scheduled to give her expert view in court next Wednesday.