MACC officer watched porn after grilling Teoh

http://news.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/Malaysia/Story/A1Story20110401-271225.html
KUALA LUMPUR: A Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officer watched pornography on his office computer soon after he helped a colleague interrogate political aide Teoh Beng Hock, the Commission of Inquiry was told.

Commission chairman Federal Court judge Tan Sri James Foong told former Selangor MACC deputy director Hishamuddin Hashim that Mohd Ashraf Mohd Yunus had been watching smut on his office computer at about 1.20am on July 16, 2009.

This was based on a forensic analysis of the officer's computer which was seized by the commission.

The assistant enforcement officer had been watching pornography while intensive investigation operations against Seri Kembangan assemblyman Ean Yong Hian Wah over alleged fraudulent disbursement of state funds was going on.

When asked by Justice Foong how this could have been allowed to happen, Hishamuddin, who is now the Negri Sembilan MACC director, said it was beyond his control.

"It is not work-related. If it happened in front of me, I would have reprimanded him," said Hisha­muddin.

Justice Foong said it was surprising that MACC officers watched pornography at their workplace in spite of the Government order prohibiting civil servants surfing pornography in government offices.

It was also revealed that Mohd Ashraf had been positively identified in 13 police identification parades for alleged use of force during questioning.

Hishamuddin also admitted that the Selangor MACC had not lodged any police report after Teoh's remains had been discovered.

"What is the point in making police reports 10 times or 40 times?" Hishamuddin said, adding that a single report was sufficient for investigations to be carried out.

He also stated that Teoh had ceased being under the MACC's responsibility after 3.30am on July 16, 2009, as he had been told to go home.

To this, commissioner Datuk T. Selventhiranathan said Teoh was the MACC's responsibility as his body was found at the building where the state MACC office was located.

Hishamuddin was also chided by Justice Foong for being defensive and emotional when questioned by Bar Council lawyer Cheow Wee.

Teoh, who was Ean Yong's political secretary, was taken to the state MACC office on the 14th floor of Plaza Masalam, Shah Alam on July 15, 2009 for questioning over the allegations against his boss.

He was found dead at the building's fifth floor service corridor the following day.

The inquiry resumes tomorrow.