The Teoh Beng Hock Case: A Test of Pakatan Harapan’s Moral Backbone Youth Voters May Deliver a Harsh Verdict in the Next General Election

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1. On the anniversary of Teoh Beng Hock’s death, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Chief Commissioner Azam Baki issued an apology. Soon after, the Democratic Action Party (DAP) leaders held a press conference to apologize to Teoh’s family and urged them to accept “unconditional” monetary compensation.

2. Yet, perplexingly, neither the government nor the political party has confronted the core of the case — the three simple, powerful demands of Teoh’s family: seeking truth, ii. realising justice, and iii. systemic reform. Even more disappointing is the collective absence and severe dereliction of duty by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Minister of Home Affairs Saifuddin Nasution Ismail on this major human rights issue.

3. An apology cannot replace the judiciary, and compensation does not equate to justice. Any attempt to “settle” this case with money or to diminish it as a private arrangement between a political party and the grieving family would, in fact, condone institutional violence. It allows state power to override the law and breeds a dangerous culture of impunity.

4. An apology without criminal accountability is merely a fig leaf for a culture of impunity; compensation without full truth is more like an ‘indulgence’ for institutional murder. Without action, talk of transitional justice becomes empty noise, and promises of reform become pale, brittle, and meaningless.

5. We are particularly alarmed that, even as the controversy over the “no further action” (NFA) decision in the Teoh Beng Hock case unfolds, both the Prime Minister and the Home Minister remain nowhere to be seen. On the international stage, Prime Minister Anwar’s presence is widely seen. Just one day after Teoh Beng Hock’s death anniversary, the Prime Minister rightly condemned Israel’s unjust air strikes on Syria, which is commendable. However, we urge Prime Minister Anwar to demonstrate the same resolve in addressing long-standing domestic injustices, such as the Teoh Beng Hock case. Only then can his government be seen as consistent in defending human rights at home and abroad. Otherwise, his spirited pronouncements on human rights risk becoming an international laughingstock.

6. We believe that a case involving human life, abuse of state power, and national integrity should not be addressed by departmental levels or individual political parties. Therefore, we demand that the Prime Minister and Minister of Home Affairs personally and directly respond to Teoh’s family’s three core demands:

a. Seek Truth: We demand that the government, in accordance with the Court of Appeal’s ruling, establish an independent, professional international criminal investigation team to thoroughly investigate the death and apprehend all MACC officers involved.

b. Reliase Justice: Prosecute and convict officials who violated human rights under Sections 302 or 304 of the Penal Code.

c. Reform the System: Expedite legislative reforms to prevent deaths in custody due to abuse of power by enforcement officers. This includes amending Section 30 of the MACC Act to limit interrogation and statement-taking times and enacting comprehensive anti-torture legislation.

7. We remind Pakatan Harapan to clarify its responsibilities as the ruling party and to stop dwelling in the “good old days” of being in opposition or glorifying past efforts. Back then, Pakatan Harapan leaders righteously criticized the former administration’s incompetence and pleaded with voters for a mandate to enter Putrajaya to seek justice for Teoh Beng Hock. Now, as the government, Pakatan Harapan which sits in the executive branch, holds investigative, enforcement, and prosecutorial powers. The position of Minister of Home Affairs is even held by a PKR Senator. Pakatan Harapan has no excuse to continue shirking responsibility.

8. As the executive power, there is no need for Pakatan Harapan or DAP to initiate judicial review just to re-examine the NFA decision. The government, which holds investigative and prosecutorial powers, need not wait for court rulings to seek truth and promote transformative justice. Since 2018, Pakatan Harapan has been in power for nearly 52 months, or over four years, and should not use “reform takes time” as an excuse to delay responsibility.

9. We once again call on the government to demonstrate political resolve and directly address Teoh’s family’s three demands.

10. As the ancient wisdom teaches:

  • To be without compassion is not to be human;
  • To feel no shame is not to be human;
  • To lack humility is not to be human;
  • To be indifferent to right and wrong is not to be human

11. The Teoh Beng Hock case is a benchmark for political morality and governance. Sixteen years of unredressed injustice serves as a test of whether our political leaders still uphold the baseline of humanity, conscience, morality, and the system.

12. We warn that the upcoming responses from Prime Minister Anwar, DAP, and Pakatan Harapan will profoundly influence how the youth and university students evaluate you — not just as politicians, but as leaders. If you continue to dodge the core issues, we will not forget. And we will respond with our votes in the next general election.

 

 Endorsed by:

  1. KLSCAH Youth 隆雪华青
  2. ⁠University of Malaya Association for New Youth (UMANY) 马大新青年
  3. ⁠MANDIRI
  4. Liga Demokratik Rakyat
  5. HAYAT
  6. ⁠Undi 18
  7. Klima Action Malaysia (KAMY)
  8. Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM)
  9. ⁠New Era University College Student Union 新纪元大学学院学生会
  10. ⁠STUDENT PROGRESSIVE FRONT UUM
  11. Federasi Pemuda Kebangsaan
  12. ⁠Himpunan Advokasi Rakyat Malaysia (HARAM)
  13. Demokrat Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (Demokrat UKM)
  14. ⁠Ikatan Mahasiswa Demokratik Malaysia
  15. ⁠Pertubuhan Mahasiswa Kongres Gombak (CONGRESS)
  16. Suara Mahasiswa UMS
  17. Liga Mahasiswa Malaysia
  18. ⁠⁠Liga Mahasiswa Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
  19. ⁠⁠Liga Mahasiswa Universiti Sains Malaysia
  20. Liga Mahasiswa Universiti Malaya
  21. Liga Mahasiswa Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin
  22. ⁠⁠Pejuang Siswa UM
  23. ⁠Gerakan Mahasiswa Maju UPM
  24. Ikatan Anak Muda Tawau – IKAT
  25. ⁠⁠Gerakan Perempuan Melawan
  26. Kesatuan Mahasiswa Universiti Alternatif
  27. Borneo Komrad
  28. Malacca Chinese Assembly Hall Youth Section 马六甲中华大会堂青年团
  29. Pemuda Pertubuhan Penganut Dewa Heng Soon Kong Tai Bak Gong Senai
  30. ⁠GERAKAN MAHASISWA MAJU UPM
  31. ⁠GenZScope
  32. Persatuan Kawan Karib Melaka
  33. ⁠Selangor and KL Hokkien Association Youth Section 雪隆福青
  34. Kuala Lumpur Eng Choon Hoey Kuan Youth Section吉隆坡永春会馆青年团
  35. Pertubuhan Anak Muda Maju
  36. ⁠⁠The Selangor and KL Nan Ann Association Youth Section雪隆南安青
  37. Angkatan Generasi Insaf 新华青
  38. Agora Society Malaysia 群议社
  39. ⁠Persatuan Kwang Tung Selangor dan Kuala Lumpur Youth Section 雪隆广东会馆青年部
  40. Persatuan Bahasa Cina Universiti Malaya 马来亚大学华文学会
  41. Gerakan Belia Sepunjabi Malaysia (GBSM)
  42. Cahaya Society
  43. Sunway University Chinese Cultural Society 双威大学华文学会
  44. Youth Bureau of Negeri Sembilan Chinese Assembly Hall 森美兰中华大会堂青年团The Teoh Beng Hock Case: A Test of Pakatan Harapan’s Moral Backbone Youth Voters May Deliver a Harsh Verdict in the Next General Election