Group hopes new govt can revive search for missing pastors, activist
24th Jun 2018
KUALA LUMPUR: NGO Citizen Action Group on Enforced Disappearance hopes that the newly-formed pakatan Harapan government will revive efforts to find missing Pastor Raymond Koh, Amri Che Mat, Pastor Joshua Hilmy and Ruth Sitepu.
A crowd gathered at Dataran Merdeka at around 8pm Sunday (June 22) to hold a vigil seeking justice for the missing persons.
The group’s spokesman Thomas Fann said that it had been over a year since the four individuals went missing.
“We hope that the new Government will succeed where the old one failed, and make sure justice is done for the missing persons and their families,” he said.
Pastor Raymond Koh’s wife, Susanna Liew also urged the new Government to help investigate the disappearances with fresh eyes.
“They (the missing four) are innocent and do not deserve to be treated in this way. Please let them come home,” she said.
“I plead with the Prime Minister to look into this case and being my husband back to us,” said Norhayati Mohd Ariffin, the wife of Amri.
The vigil ended peacefully about an hour later. There were no police present.
The case of the missing four are currently the subject of an inquiry by the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam).
Koh was reportedly abducted from his car in Petaling Jaya in “professional” style while on his way to a friend’s house on Feb 13, 2017.
CCTV footage, believed to be of the incident, showed at least 15 men and three black SUVs involved in the abduction.
In Amri’s case, a witness has also testified that he saw Amri being abducted by men in four vehicles that looked like pick-up trucks in Kangar, Perlis, on Nov 24, 2016.
Amri’s case received more interest recently when Norhayati claimed during the inquiry that a police officer had told her that Special Branch officers from Bukit Aman were responsible for the kidnapping of her husband, as well as that of Pastor Koh.
Link to the article can be found here:
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/06/24/revive-search-for-pastor-koh-amri-other-two-missing/