Now every Tom Ting and Terry can translate! Ting Chin Kin, you are as incompetent as Abdul Razak Musa

The credibility of the interpretation of the note said to be deceased DAP political aide Teoh Beng Hock's final testament was put into question today when the court interpreter said she had relied on Google Translate to do the job. The court interpreter, Ting Chin Kin, 23, who has “almost one year's experience” in the field, admitted that she did not use any professional translation references when cross-examined by Gobind Singh Deo, the lawyer for Teoh's family.

The note, which was tendered as evidence today, was only made known to the family and Selangor government attorneys last month, although it was found by the investigating officer on Oct 7 last year and reads like an apology addressed to Teoh's boss and state exco member Ean Yong.

The note handed to Ting, on Sept 4, reads:

Ean Yong, Dalam keadaan tak menyalin file dalam komputer saya mereka telah ambil komputer. Mereka asyik menyalahkan kamu. Minta maaf. Tidak mengerti tapi pura-pura mengerti, akhirnya menyusahkan kamu.

Saya kata 'mendapat kelulusan YB'. Mereka berdegil menaip menjadi 'mengikut arahan YB'. Saya tak dapat membantu kamu, maaf. Minta maaf. Saya amat penat. Selamat tinggal.

(Ean Yong, Without copying the file in my computer, they have taken the computer. I'm sorry. They are fond of blaming you. Don't understand but pretend to understand, in the end, this has inconvenienced you.

(I said 'obtained the YB's approval' but they insist on typing 'on the YB's instructions'. I can't help you, sorry. I'm sorry. I'm very tired. Goodbye.)

Aiyo, Ting. You ok, ah, Ting. If cannot translate, better to say Goodbye to your loved ones than to face shame!