SHAH ALAM— The coroner's court today began hearing the inquest into political aide Teoh Beng Hock's mysterious death at the national anti-graft Selangor office with criminal lawyer Tan Hock Chuan surprisingly leading the Attorney-General's team.
The government team is usually led by a deputy public prosecutor. A total of 77 witnesses have been called up to testify in the inquest slated to end on Aug 12.
Among them are Teoh's father Teoh Leong Hwee, brother Beng Kee and his lawyer M. Manoharan, who is also Kota Alam Shah assemblyman.
The Teoh family is represented by Gobind Singh Deo and Sankara Nair while Malik Imtiaz Sarwar is representing the Selangor government.
The Bar Council has sent a 12-man team to take part led by Hisyam Teh Toh Teck.
Gobind applied to the court for family, Selangor and Bar Council lawyers to take part in inquest.
The prosecution agreed except to the Bar Council's participation. However, magistrate Azmil Munthapa Abas allowed all three to take part in the inquest.
The deputy registrar, who is sitting as a magistrate in the coroner's court, also said the proceedings will be recorded and given to the relevant parties.
Among those in the three-quarter-filled courtroom at the Shah Alam courthouse are DAP strongman Lim Kit Siang, and Selangor exco members Dr Xavier Jeyakumar and Ean Yong Hian Wah, who was Teoh's employer.
The 30-year-old political secretary was found dead on the rooftop of a five-storey building next to Plaza Masalam, where the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has its Selangor head office on the 14th floor, last July 16.
Teoh was there as a witness in a probe into alleged misuse of state funds. He was due to register his marriage to his two-month pregnant fiancee the day he was found dead.
The Cabinet has formed a royal commission of inquiry into MACC's investigation procedures after it was revealed that Teoh was questioned from 6pm to 3.45am the next day.
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