Pakatan wants more from royal commission

Pakatan Rakyat today said that there were many questions that needed urgent answers to the circumstances leading to the death of political aide Teoh Beng Hock while being questioned by the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission last week.

This video was made by malaysiakini

A Royal Commissioner has considerable powers, generally greater even than those of a judge but restricted to the “Terms of Reference” of the Commission.

The Commission is created by the Head of State (Sovereign, Governor-General or Governor) on the advice of the Government and formally appointed by Letters Patent. In practice—unlike lesser forms of inquiry—once a Commission has started the government cannot stop it.

Consequently governments are usually very careful about framing the Terms of Reference and generally include in them a date by which the commission must finish.

Royal Commissions are called to look into matters of great importance and usually controversy. These can be matters such as government structure, the treatment of minorities, events of considerable public concern or economic questions.