MACC clears Ean Yong of crime, Teoh RCI told

The Malaysian Insider  26-04-2011

KUALA LUMPUR, April 26 — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) failed to find evidence to prove Selangor executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah abused state funds, the Teoh Beng Hock Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) heard today.

Acting senior superintendent Ahmad Shafik Abdul Rahman said investigations against Teoh’s boss, Ean Yong, showed that government projects in the Seri Kembangan constituency had been completed in 2008.

“Results from investigations showed there was no testimony that could link YB Ean to wrongdoing under Section 18 of the MACC Act 2009,” said Ahmad Shafik at the inquiry today.

“The investigation outcome showed that programmes and projects, for which YB Ean made claims, were done by contractors...instructions from the DPP were to stop the investigation because there was no testimony showing that YB Ean had committed an offence,” added the graftbuster.

Teoh was found dead on July 16, 2009 on the fifth-floor corridor of Plaza Masalam in Shah Alam after he was questioned overnight by MACC officers at their then-Selangor headquarters on the 14th floor.

Teoh, 30, was the political secretary to Ean Yong, who is the Seri Kembangan assemblyman from the DAP, at the time of his death.

The graftbusters were investigating a claim that his boss was abusing state funds.

Ahmad Shafik, who took over the Selangor MACC investigations on August 27, 2009, also said the payments made to a DAP branch in relation to the projects were reimbursements for advance payments, based on contractor Lee Wye Wing’s testimony.

But Ahmad Shafik said he could not find documents supporting Serdang Aman DAP’s advance payments.

“(It’s) only through Lee Wye Wing’s testimony. No documentary evidence,” said Ahmad Shafik.

The 32-year-old anti-graft officer added that Lee had organised all government projects in Ean Yong’s constituency using licenses lent by Bumiputra contractors.

“Mr Lee Wye Wing only dealt with Teoh Beng Hock and he never dealt directly with YB Ean,” said Ahmad Shafik.

Ahmad Shafik, who wore a well-cut suit, added that former MACC investigations director Datuk Mohd Shukri Abdull - who is currently the MACC deputy chief commissioner — gave instructions not to pursue investigations on the payments received by the DAP.

“He ordered not to do further investigations on the money going to DAP as it was not related to the case being investigated under section 18,” said Ahmad Shafik.

The tall senior graftbuster also said Teoh was reimbursed for making an advance payment of RM112 for an event, which cost RM1,665, in support of senior Selangor executive councillor Teresa Kok during her 2008 Internal Security Act (ISA) detention.

“RM112 for Beng Hock was to repay him because he gave advance payments for buying banners,” said Ahmad Shafik.

He added that Lee had given him receipts for the claims made by Serdang Aman DAP.

“Investigations showed that they were reimbursements. But investigations could not determine which receipts were for which programme as the receipts were given in a bundle,” said Ahmad Shafik.

MACC lawyer Datuk Seri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah suggested last Tuesday that Teoh was restless hours before he died as he was guilty of using government projects to fund the DAP.

Shafee said that three payment vouchers, which the MACC had found in Lee’s home, revealed allocations for Serdang Aman DAP, ranging from 30 to almost 90 per cent.

Ean Yong, however, denied over the weekend that Teoh or the DAP ever took kickbacks from contractors or suppliers.

Ean Yong had said that in many cases, the DAP branch made advance payments for programmes and were reimbursed later.

Teoh’s former boss accused the MACC of using the RCI as a platform to frame up allegations against Teoh and the DAP to justify their “suicide theory” behind the young man’s mysterious death.

Ahmad Shafik said today that Selangor MACC had investigated Ean Yong as it suspected the latter of making claims for non-existent projects.

But the graftbuster said allocations for Serdang Aman DAP for the function in support of Kok, a children’s programme, as well as a tanglung event, all costing RM10,000 and below, were reimbursements.

“We (also) didn’t find any excessive claims,” said Ahmad Shafik.

The inquiry resumes tomorrow.

The RCI, which is chaired by sitting Federal Court judge Tan Sri James Foong, has until June 25 to present its report to the King.