Kuala Lumpur:The High Court was informed that the family of Teoh Beng Hock has been aware for over seven years that his 2009 death had not been investigated as a murder case. This was highlighted by Senior Federal Counsel Mohammad Sallehuddin Md Ali in the government's preliminary objection to the family's judicial review application filed on April 17 this year.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Mohammad Sallehuddin stated that the investigation into Beng Hock's death was reclassified under Section 342 of the Penal Code for wrongful confinement in 2019. Despite the family's concerns over the investigation's progress, they delayed legal action, exceeding the statutory three-month deadline for filing a judicial review.
The family's lawyer, Lim Wei Jiet, argued in response that previous inquiries to the police and Attorney-General's Office received no confirmation regarding the investigation's classification under Section 302 for murder or Section 304 for culpable homicide. He requested an extension of time, citing significant public interest and the family's lack of information.
Judge Norliza Othman set November 17 for the ruling on the extension request. The application for judicial review was filed by Beng Hock's brother and parents, seeking a declaration that the respondents have a legal duty to investigate his death under the appropriate sections of the Penal Code.
Previously, the High Court had ordered the police to complete the investigation within six months after a judicial review application by Beng Hock's parents. However, a 2025 letter from the Selangor Police stated the investigation was conducted under wrongful confinement, and the Attorney General's Chambers decided on No Further Action.
Teoh Beng Hock, a political secretary, was found dead in 2009 at the Plaza Masalam building. The Shah Alam Coroner's Court initially ruled his death as neither suicide nor homicide in 2011. However, a Royal Commission later concluded it was a suicide, and a 2014 Court of Appeal ruling found it resulted from an unlawful act by unidentified individuals.