The young man fell to his death, a key witness in a corruption investigation. The coroner gave an open verdict, ruling that the death could have been murder, but could also have been suicide, an opinion upheld by the High Court. This isn’t a crystal ball prediction. This was the fate of Rumie Azzan Mahlie, 31, an investigating officer with the Department of Environment. His death occurred in a state building in Kuching.
Rumie had raised questions about the enforcement of legislation on storing and dumping of toxic waste. About six months after his death, evidence related to the case was destroyed in a fire.
Police concluded that arsonists were behind the blaze.
The parallels between the case of Rumie and Teoh Beng Hock are sad. Among other things, the case was raised in Parliament not by the environment minister, Rumie’s (indirect) boss, but by Opposition leader Lim Kit Siang. And again, it is the Opposition that is making the most noise about the death of a civil servant – even if this time it is one of their own.
But the differences are also stark. It’s possibly a sign of the times. But it could be a question of geography. Rumie died in Kuching, far from the seat of federal power. The illegal dumping that he was investigating was in Johor. When the High Court heard an appeal by the family to have the case re-opened, to clear his name of the taint of suicide and prosecute those they believe to be responsible, the case was observed by the family. News reports don’t mention supporters or politicians – other than the one who was advancing the family’s case. And, of course, the political implications of the two cases are different.
Another mysterious death, which seems to have escaped the notice of many West Malaysians, is that of Penan elder Kelesau Naan. After supposedly being eaten by wild animals, his body was found in a place that had been repeatedly searched by local people. Kelesau was leading a struggle to keep timber companies out of lands traditionally owned and occupied by the Penan and his son says that he had been threatened because of his advocacy.
Kelesau’s death did not involve a fall from a tall building and was unconnected with state agencies. But he was a key witness and one of four plaintiffs in a land rights case dating back to 1988. And the reaction of state agencies and the lack of transparency in the investigation have been disconcerting.
While Kelesau’s case has been taken up by NGOs and local politicians, as with Rumie, there has been no public outcry into his death, no call for a royal commission of inquiry. Both cases are political, both connected to allegations of corruption.
These three cases and the official reaction in all instances points to a deep-seated malaise within our government institutions. It is on a continuum with the women, family and community development minister’s announcement that those interested in the report on the rape of Penan women could see her personally to discuss the matter. It’s taking privatisation far too far – making private the public interest, making it the domain of the few.
We, the rakyat, are expected to sit back and assume that the authorities are working in our best interest, regardless of any evidence to the contrary.
Only an impartial, independent royal commission of inquiry which does and is seen to do justice will set to rest the MACC’s critics (bar a few conspiracy theorists). The findings of the commission must be made public. And these findings, and any recommendations coming from these findings, must be acted upon.
(The cabinet decided on Wednesday for a magistrate’s inquest to determine the cause of Teoh’s death and a royal commission of inquiry to examine the methods used by the MACC to question suspects and witnesses.)
Ideally, the scope of the commission could be extended to include the deaths of other witnesses, such as Rumie and Kelesau.
Otherwise, as with the Royal Commission into the Operations of the Police Force, the commission will merely galvanise forces for change, and further damage the credibility of Malaysia’s institutions.
Written by Sonia Randhawa and originally published in The Sun. Republished with permission from the author.
About Sonia Randhawa
Having over 10 years journalism experience, Sonia has worked in two continents, and been published in five, with her work translated into Spanish, Mandarin and Arabic. She is the author of various books on current affairs, media freedom, access to information and the environment.
The Micah Mandate is a Christian-based public interest advocacy ministry that seeks a transformation of our nation through justice, mercy and humility.
