The Malaysian Insider

BANGKOK, Nov 5 — Thailand’s forensic expert Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand said today that she will attend the second post-mortem on Teoh Beng Hock ,despite being barred from carrying out the autopsy herself.

Dr Pornthip said she was informed by the lawyer representing the family of the deceased about Coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas’ decision to have Teoh’s remains exhumed for the second post-mortem to be carried out.

“I was told the post-mortem is likely to take place next Saturday, but I can only observe because of the legal implications,” she told Bernama here today.

She added that she is aware of fact that she is not allowed under the law to take part actively, adding she even raised the matter last July when the Selangor State Government contacted her to carry out a post-mortem on Teoh.

“I didn’t go at that time because the family did not allow me to carry out the post-mortem. But I was then invited to give testimony in the inquest,” said the director-general of the Central Institute of Forensic Science, Ministry of Justice, Thailand.

Only a practicing physicians registered with the Malaysian Medical Board, are allowed to do so, as stipulated under the Medical Act 1971.

Coroner Azmil also ordered that the second post-mortem be handled by a medical officer in the presence of four forensic experts, Dr Khairul Azman Ibrahim, Dr Prashant Naresh Samberkar, Dr Pornthip and another expert yet to be appointed by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

Teoh, who was political aide to the Selangor state executive councillor, Ean Yong Hian Wah, was found dead on the fifth floor of Plaza Mazalam in Shah Alam on July 16, after being quizzed by the Selangor MACC on the 14th floor of the same building.

The family applied to exhume Teoh’s remains, following Dr Pornthip’s testimony that there was an 80 per cent probability that he was tortured and strangled, at the inquest, into his death.

Asked if she could come to a conclusion despite not being able to carry out the post-mortem herself, Dr Pornthip said it all depended on the degree of decomposition.

“As for me, I am just trying to help. I know my limitation,” she said. — Bernama