A YEAR after her husband’s disappearance, Susanna Liew, the wife of missing Pastor Raymond Koh, is continuing his good works with marginalised people through a jewellery store that employs single mothers.

This has given her something to focus on as she awaits answers and continues to hope that Koh, who was abducted in broad daylight on February 13 last year, will be found.

Liew said she started making jewellery as a hobby three years ago, and realised that she could turn it into a business to help single mothers and other women in need of extra income.

The 61-year-old mother of three adult children started selling her jewellery at a shopping mall in June last year, and has managed to secure a new pop-up stall at Starling Mall in Damansara Uptown, which will open after the Chinese New Year.

“I started selling jewellery at Desa Park City Mall last year.

“This year, I managed to get a place at Starling Mall. We will open shop again from February 23 to 25,” she told The Malaysian Insight this afternoon at Starling Mall.

To keep costs low, Liew will run the pop-up stall only twice a month, on dates set by the mall, instead of renting a permanent stall.

“Whatever money that I make, a percentage will go to Harapan Komuniti for the single mothers’ programme. Besides the jewellery classes, I also employ single mothers who need work to help at the stall.”

Harapan Komuniti is the welfare organisation started by her husband in 2004 to help the marginalised and single mothers.

It has a reading and learning centre for disadvantaged children, and runs various programmes.

Since Koh’s abduction, Liew has been supported by a trust fund set up by the family’s lawyers.

Lawyer Kenny Ng has said the trust fund will also help support Harapan Komuniti’s work.

Liew said the pop-up stall was managed mostly by her 32-year-old daughter, Esther, who also helped teach in the jewellery-making classes for single mothers.

“I started jewellery-making classes for a few ladies at Harapan Komuniti two years ago.

“I taught them how to make simple items, like bracelets and earrings, while I do the more difficult ones, like necklaces with semi-precious stones,” she said, adding that she learnt the skill from a South Korean friend.

Still no closure

Liew has pressed on with her life, while actively pursuing answers over her missing husband.

She and other family members recently testified at the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) public inquiry into disappeared persons.

Tomorrow, one year to the day Koh went missing, the family will hold an anniversary prayer service at a church in Petaling Jaya to remember him.

Liew said some 200 people had registered to attend the service, which would feature a video presentation on Koh, produced by Esther.

Unable to find closure, all the family can do is remember.

“It’s been one year, and we still have no idea what happened to Raymond. We are going back to square one as there is no conclusion,” said Liew.

“There is still no update, and our hopes of finding any answer are heading nowhere.

“We are feeling very discouraged as the inquiry is not moving forward, and because of the suspension, it is all left hanging in the air.

“But, we will not give up. All these challenges are making our resolve to fight on even stronger.”

The Suhakam inquiry was suspended last month after police announced that they had charged a suspect with Koh’s kidnapping.

It was a shocking development for the family as the accused, Lam Chang Nam, who was charged with extortion last year, had initially been cleared by police of kidnapping.

Liew and the family’s lawyers have questioned why they had not been informed of such a major development in the case, and have expressed doubts as to whether police have the right person.

The family are struggling to accept the void caused by Koh’s absence this CNY.

Liew said they would still make their annual trip to her husband’s hometown in Johor Baru to visit his family.

“Raymond always looks forward to going there and meeting his mother, five sisters and three brothers.

“We always have the reunion dinner with his family, and his favourites are steamboat, because it’s our tradition to have it for CNY, and braised duck.”

Without her husband this year, Liew said, the family would have their reunion meal on the eve of CNY with her brothers and sisters in Kuala Lumpur, before travelling south to visit Koh’s family the next day.

“This is our first CNY without him, and we feel very sad. We wish, of course, that he can be with us. That’s our hope for CNY, that he be reunited with the family.

“It’s going to be tough for my children, especially Esther, who is very close to Raymond.

“She misses him and she fondly remembers our trips to Johor Baru, where Raymond used to tell us stories about his childhood growing up there. They just miss his company.” – February 12, 2018.