By Syed Jaymal Zahiid
KAJANG, July 22 — Seven days after his mysterious death, the family of Teoh Beng Hock went to the Kajang police station to have their statements recorded. Still looking visibly distressed, they turned up exactly on time.
Teoh’s mother, Teng Shuw Hor, brother Teoh Beng Kee, sister Teoh Lee Lan and pregnant fiancee Soh Cher Wei spent more than an hour giving their statements.
Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng told the large contingent of media present afterwards, “The police wanted to question more family members but after we protested, they stuck to the original four they had summoned.
“It is clear from the line of questioning that the police were trying to ascertain Teoh’s state of mind in the days leading up to the time he died,” he said."The police also asked if Teoh was a smoker perhaps insinuating that he might have gone to a window to smoke and fell," said another lawyer, Eric Tan who is also representing the family.
They wanted to know if Teoh was troubled, if he was suicidal, and so on, added Lim.
He claimed it was obvious that the police had tried to quash any possibilities that the anti-graft body was responsible for Teoh's death.
The police, however, was friendly and very cooperative considering the suffering the family members have endured for the past one week said Tan.
"All the statements recorded tallied and the family have excluded any possibilities that Teoh could have committed suicide.
The family refused to speak to the press, probably tired of being under the media spotlight during this, their time of grief.
Earlier, they had gone to the cemetery in Semenyih where Teoh was buried to conduct prayers. When they arrived at the police station, they were greeted by a huge crowd of supporters and reporters. At one point, the police asked Teoh’s father, Teoh Leong Hwee, who he was.
That was ironic considering the photographs of the entire family have been splashed all over TV, the papers and online news sites the past few days.
The Chinese believe that the spirit of the deceased returns to his/her home on the 7th day after he/she dies.
Teng looked the same as she did at the time she found out about her son's death – devastated – perhaps a reflection of how she has yet to overcome the loss completely.
She was holding on the her daughter closely when the family left the police station.
At one point, she shouted to the hordes of photographers and reporters who were pushing and shoving each other trying best to get reaction from her and the rest of the family.
Teoh's younger sister, Amanda, told reporters that the family is happy hearing the Cabinet's decision to set up a royal inquiry but the grief was still apparent when she could only convey it through the lawyers, refusing to speak directly to the media.
The family then left for home in Alor Gajah in two cars, one a silver Perodua Kancil and the other, a worn down Proton Wira.
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