FORMER inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar will take the stand today at a public inquiry into the disappearance of Pastor Raymond Koh, the hearing’s chairman said. 

Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) commissioner Mah Weng Kwai said the inquiry, which is in its third day of proceedings, will start with Koh’s son, Jonathan, before calling Khalid.

“The former IGP (Khalid) will be coming. We will finish first with Jonathan and then it will be Khalid.

“If there is time, we will also hear statements from witnesses from Jais (Selangor Islamic Religious Department) who have been called,” Mah told The Malaysian Insight.  

The inquiry which started on October 19, is seeking answers into the disappearance of Koh, as well as that of Pastor Joshua Hilmy, his wife, Ruth, who were both last seen in November last year, and activist Amri Che Mat, also reported missing since last year.

The inquiry aims to determine if these are cases of enforced disappearance, a term which describes abductions involving the authorities.

Koh was taken by a group of men in a convoy on February 13 which has been described as “similar to how a police operation is conducted”.

Witness Roeshan Gomez, who was driving behind Koh’s car, said this was what investigating police officer Inspector Ali Asra told him after he described the abduction.

Besides Gomez, Koh’s wife Susanna Liew and Harapan Komuniti director G. Sri Ram have testified.

Harapan Komuniti is a reading and learning centre in Taman Sri Manja that was set up by Koh to help underprivileged children.

Sri Ram told the inquiry that Koh was stressed after Jais raided the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC), where he hosted a dinner for Harapan Komuniti with Muslim guests present in 2011.

Sri Ram also said Koh had agreed with his comment that he (Koh) was a “marked man” after the DUMC incident where the pastor received a letter with two bullets.

Liew, meanwhile, told the panel that Koh had given strict instructions to Harapan Komuniti volunteers and workers never to preach religion to those it helped.

She also said the couple were often stopped by Malaysian Immigration and referred to the Special Branch when they travelled abroad – nine times for Koh, and seven times for her.

The inquiry is chaired by Mah and the other panel members are Suhakam commissioners Aishah Bidin and Dr Nik Salida Suhaila Nik Saleha.

To date, the commission has interviewed 35 people, including family members of the missing four, police and interested parties, and subpoenaed more than 15 people to testify.

Mah said the number of witnesses called to give their statements will vary as the inquiry progresses. The commission may extend the inquiry if needed.

“If we have to take an extra couple of days, we will. We will have to go the distance and finish it. Suhakam is not terribly constrained by time. We can’t rush this.” – October 30, 2017.