This is my first column on the Teoh Beng Hock (TBH) case. Yes, after 16 long years of one of Malaysia’s most high-profile and intriguing cases of a death in custody.

Why didn’t I bother to comment on the TBH case in the past? Well, it was already well-publicized in the media and many of my fellow columnists in several publications had kept abreast with its development with well-written commentaries over the years.

As a writer, when I have nothing original to share or anything new to highlight, it makes sense to avoid the subject.

So, why am I on the TBH saga for the first time here? New development, two episodes over the past few days to be precise, has compelled me to share my views on the issue.

One, the apology from none other than the MACC chief commissioner himself, Azam Baki, and his appeal to Teoh’s family to accept a goodwill contribution from the anti-graft agency.

On 16 July 2025, on the 16th anniversary of Teoh’s death, the MACC issued its first public apology to his family, acknowledging the tragedy and offering a goodwill contribution to support his now 15-year-old son.

At the same time, MACC reaffirmed that the most recent investigation, classified as No Further Action (NFA) by the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC), concluded there was insufficient evidence to charge any individual.

I find the apology “too little too late” and monetary offer “demeaning.”

A promising young man dutifully went to your office at your request. He was interrogated, probably manhandled, tortured and abused physically and mentally.

Later, he was found dead, believed to have plunged several floors from your office building.

And all you could do is say sorry 16 years later and make an offer, calling it a goodwill contribution.

I see no “goodwill” here; instead, I consider it an “insult” to the Teoh family.

Does MACC think that a monetary gesture will resolve the matter?

Hello, we are talking about the life of a young man with big dreams, and a husband and father-to-be cut short senselessly by five MACC bullies. (They do not deserve to be called “officers.”)

I’m glad that the Teoh family had publicly rejected the apology, calling it insincere.

Teoh’s sister, Lee Lan, emphasized that they do not want money, but want the five MACC officers implicated to be prosecuted. That is the correct step to take.

The family views the apology as hollow since no legal accountability is underway. I’m in total agreement with the Teohs.

Until and unless that is done and justice has been served, I expect the TBH saga to rage on.

The second incident which irks me is the drama exhibited by DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke and a few of his senior party colleagues in bowing in “solemn respect and sorrow” to the family of Teoh Beng Hock.

What makes matters worse is that Loke has also appealed to the grieving family to consider accepting the government’s “goodwill contribution” over the political aide’s tragic death.

What was the DAP head honcho thinking? Why was he repeating the MACC’s appeal to the Teoh family to accept the goodwill contribution?

By publicly repeating the MACC’s appeal for the Teoh family to accept the ex-gratia payment, Loke risks being seen as siding with the institution implicated in Teoh’s death.

It gives the impression that closure is being prioritized over justice.

Instead of pressing harder for full accountability and punishment for those responsible, DAP’s stance seems to be asking the family to let go in exchange for compensation.

I find this offensive as I view Teoh’s death as state-linked abuse of power. I would have acted differently if I were in Loke’s shoes.

Not surprisingly, these recent developments have evoked strong public sympathy and civil society organizations have rallied in support of the Teoh family, with many NGOs backing calls for justice.

The Teoh Beng Hock Association for Democratic Advancement (TBH ADA) has also been vocal, urging Malaysians to reject MACC’s apology as a PR stunt, labeling it a “public relations show” and calling for prosecution of implicated officials instead.

It is now very clear what the public and TBH family want to see—justice for Beng Hock. And this is not new. This is what they have been fighting for all these years.

The young man must not die in vain. Those responsible for causing his tragic demise must be dealt with according to the laws of the land.

That is not too much to expect. Is that?

This isn’t just about Teoh Beng Hock. It’s about whether a nation can protect its citizens from abuse by the very institutions meant to uphold justice.

It’s about whether those in power now will uphold the promises they made when they were in the opposition. And when they fail, we have every right to be angry.

Until and unless that is done and justice has been served, I expect the TBH saga to rage on. And it should.

I stand behind the TBH family, not those who think Beng Hock’s death could be resolved with an apology and a goodwill contribution.

(Francis Paul Siah is a veteran Sarawak editor and currently heads the Movement for Change Sarawak, MoCS. He can be reached at [email protected].)