Nothing to stop Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand from giving evidence at the Teoh Beng Hock inquest !

Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein and Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail said today that Thai pathologist Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand was welcome to to give evidence at the Teoh Beng Hock inquest as there was nothing to stop her from doing so.

Hishammuddin gave an assurance that the government would protect anyone in the country if the person comes forward with information that led her to fear for her safety.

"But at the moment, she has only made a general allegation that she is concerned about her safety," he said, adding that it would make it hard for the government to follow through.

Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister A Kohilan Pillay also asked Porntip to identify who was trying to intimidate her so that the government could investigate the allegation.

"Let her give the names to us and we will investigate," he said.

Minister in the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz today demanded Dr Pornthip to disclose who was forcing her to pull out from the Teoh Beng Hock request.

Mohd Nazri said Pornthip had failed to support her allegation with concrete evidence.

"Who forced her? Is it Datuk Seri Nazri or who? We need to know. If we do not know who, how are we going to help her?

"Anyone can say she was being forced but we need to know who. That's why I said she was lying and I do not believe the Malaysian government or the officers would harass her because we all know that she had been allowed (to testify) for the first time, there is no need for us to stop her for the second time.

"The date of the inquest has also been postponed for her to come," he said.

Mohd Nazri added that Pornthip had said something very sensational in her earlier testimony and it would be obvious that the government is trying to hide something if a senior Malaysian official stops her from coming.

"It is for sure that we would be criticised by the world (if she is stopped by the government from coming).

"I will certainly know if a higher official had done so but I have no idea about it.

"I think she is scared because I believe her testimony was inaccurate and she is not able to defend it anymore, therefore she's looking for excuses not to attend the inquest," he said.

Meanwhile, both Gerakan and DAP have called on the federal government to ensure that renowned Thai forensic pathologist Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand testifies during the Teoh Beng Hock inquest.

Both parties shared the view that the failure of Pornthip to testify will not augur well for the government and would be remembered for a long time.

So, "is this actually why Pornthip won't come"