It’s been 16 years since Teoh Beng Hock’s passing. Beng Hock was the political aide to an elected representative from the DAP, who was found dead after overnight questioning by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in 2009, sparking public outrage and ongoing allegations of foul play.

Today, justice is yet to be served.

Last week, the MACC issued a public apology to Teoh’s family. This was followed by a public apology by the DAP. But rather than healing old wounds, it reignited long-standing questions — about accountability, institutional reform, the state of our democracy and the ability of political parties who promised change to actually make change when in power.

In this episode, we speak to Dr Khoo Ying Hooi, an Associate Professor of International Relations and Human Rights at Universiti Malaya (UM). She recently wrote an article titled ‘A Week Where Apologies Fell Flat and Lawyers Walked.’ We reflect on where we are today as a country, in terms of fighting for justice and protecting democracy.

Image Credit: Dr Khoo Ying Hooi's X Account / Shutterstock