BigMacc swoop on rotten politicians in Selangor

An Umno MP and his aide, an ex-MCA Adun, a DAP politician, and PKR Selangor MB 's former political aide. The MP is from around the Sabak Bernam area in Selangor, the ex-Adun is Yap something, the DAP guy was the one who claimed to have been roughed up by MACC officials, and the Menteri Besar, of course, is Khalid Ibrahim. The probe into Khalid's aide started as long ago as June 2008 [read here] so we can appreciate how long each case takes before the MACC could charge anyone in court.

When was the last time we had people from so many political parties being charged on the same day for more or less the same crime?

After Selangor, Penang next? Read the Star's article on Five politicians, including Barisan MP, to be charged with graft (why the emphasis on "Barisan MP"?).

A case for second foreign forensic expert ... Part 2

Yes Go. The headline sounds like a hope-killer but it is actually not. If you read the story h e r e you'll agree with Gobind that there are ways around this. And the Malay Mail is running another story tomorrow (Tuesday 3 Nov) quoting the Health Ministry's DG, who seems to be on the same page as Gobind on the fact that Dr Pornthip can supervise the post-mortem (which will have to be carried out by a "qualified" medical offier).

Gobind said he has made known his proposal that the two local pathologists who did the first post-mortem be present during the second post-mortem. I don't think he will oppose the proposal to have another foreign expert to jointly supervise the second post-mortem.

The Inquest into TBH's death will hear the application to exhume Teoh Beng Hock's body this Wednesday.

Read Unspinners' take on the proposed 2nd foreign forensic expert, here.

A case for a second foreign forensic expert to perform the 2nd post-mortem on TBH together with Dr Porntip

So that nobody will ask for a 3rd post-mortem. As I see it, the Coroner doesn't really have a choice but to allow for TBH's body to be exhumed and a 2nd post-mortem performed. The doubts caused by Dr Pornthip Rojanasunan's fantastic 80:20 theory can only be dealt with by allowing for that 2nd post-mortem. No two ways about it.

The question is, after the 2nd post-mortem how do you stop anyone else from making further fantastic claims and demanding a 3rd and a 4th and so on and so forth?

Commenter Eddy, responding to my posting Should Dr Pornthip be allowed to conduct 2nd post-mortem on TBH?, said yes but on condition that ...

"... the Government must appoint another pathologist to do the second autopsy together with Dr Porntip so that both will have their own independent report to submit to the Coroner in the inquest".

"Dr Porntip cannot do it alone as she is being paid good money by the Selangor Government and there are every chance that she would be biased to satisfy her paymaster, especially so after she stuck her neck out and say that it could be 80% homicide and 20 % suicide based on selected documents and photographs given to her and without even visiting the scene of the death."

There are many like Eddy who are suspicious of Dr Pornthip and you can't blame them. Eddy's suggestion, therefore, makes sense.

But since the first post-mortem was done by two of our own pathologists, I'd take a step further to suggest that the Government appoints a foreign pathologist /forensic expert to do the second autopsy with Dr Pornthip. This other foreign expert must have the credentials as good as, if not better than, Dr Pornthip's.

I am sure the Thai expert will have no objections.

And I am sure that the Selangor government, the counsels for the family of TBH, and truth-seekers in general will find that, in more ways than one, 2 are better than 1 here.

But first, this Wed 4 Nov, let's pray that Mr Coroner grants the family's application.

For a quick recap of the TBH's story so far, read The Teoh Beng Hock Saga 1

Sin Chew has an exclusive with Dr Pornthip, who talks about some of her cases and confirms that she and Gobind Deo Singh, the counsel for TBH's family, are in touch: Wanted: Pornthip's head!