THE Malaysia Human Rights Commission’s (Suhakam) public inquiry into the disappearance of Pastor Raymond Koh and three other Malaysians resumes today with Islamic religious officer Zaaba Zakaria taking the stand.

Zaaba, who is from the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais), had led a team to raid the Damansara Utama Methodist Church in 2011, where Harapan Komuniti was hosting a Thanksgiving dinner.

During the raid, Jais officers issued forms to 12 Muslim individuals who were attending the dinner to fill up and were subsequently told to attend counselling sessions at Jais.

Zaaba had told the inquiry that the offence committed that led to Jais raiding DUMC, came under Section 10 (of the Shariah Criminal Enactment (Selangor) 1995, for insulting or bringing disrepute to Islam).

He said that he was informed by his superiors to go and check (following claims that) Muslims had been called to attend a dinner at the church.

“That is ‘menghina’ (insulting) Islam,” he had told the inquiry on Tuesday.

Yesterday, the inquiry heard testimony from ASP Supari Muhammad, who was the investigating officer in Koh’s case.

The panel was told that the police have no clue if Koh, who has been missing since February, was dead or alive.

Suhakam commissioner Mah Weng Kwai had asked Supari for his considered opinion on Koh’s case, based on what the police knew so far, and if he was still alive.

“No idea,” Supari replied.

Supari told the panel that the police also did not know if Koh was in or out of the country.

Suhakam commissioner Mah chairs the panel, which is also made up of Suhakam commissioners Aishah Bidin and Nik Salida Suhaila Nik Saleha.

The inquiry is seeking to determine if the disappearance of Koh and three others – Pastor Joshua Hilmy and his wife, Ruth, and social activist Amri Che Mat – are cases of enforced disappearance, a term for abductions carried out with the authorisation or support of the state or a political organisation.

The Malaysian Insight brings you live updates from today’s hearing:

4.30pm: The panel asked Zaaba how many times the 12 Muslim individuals who attended the dinner at DUMC had gone for counselling at Jais.

Zaaba said he was unsure as it was not under his department.

The panel then asked if any of the 12 individuals were involved in Harapan Komuniti activities after counselling, Zaaba said he didn’t know.

The inquiry ends and will resume on November 23.

4.20pm: The panel asked Zaaba if there was a briefing with the police before the raid and he said there was.

Koh family lawyers asked Zaaba how did he get the police to join the raid.

Zaaba said they went to IPD Petaling Jaya and asked the OCPD, Ar Junaidi, that they were going to conduct a raid at DUMC and they needed police escort.

The lawyers asked if Zaaba showed any documentation to the police when requesting for their assistance.

Zaaba said they didn’t show any documents.

They then asked if he told the police about the complaints, to which he replied yes.

Lawyers then asked Zaaba if the police decided to assist Jais with merely a verbal request.

Zaaba said they didn’t promise that they would come.

3.55pm: Lawyers ask if Zaaba remembered name of the police officer that led the raid on DUMC, he said he couldn’t remember his name, only that his rank was lance corporal.

Koh family lawyers then asked again were there police officers both with and without uniforms, to which he replied yes.

The panel asked if Zaaba he requested for the 20 police officers for the raid, he said yes.

Zaaba said they had requested for police assistance at 3.30pm and the raid was conducted at 9.45pm.

Zaaba said he didn’t know they were sending 20 officers.

3.40pm: Commissioner Mah asked Zaaba if he would he protect the complainant if the person did anything wrong.

Zaaba did not answer the question.

The panel asked Zaaba if the police asked him if there was any connection between the DUMC raid and Koh’s abduction.

Zaaba said he can’t remember.

Koh family lawyers ask Zaaba if all 20 police officers that participated in the DUMC raid were in uniform, to which he replied yes.

Lawyers asked Zaaba if they came in unmarked vehicles but he said he doesn’t know.

3.25pm: The Panel asked Zaaba if the police had asked him if they were investigating Koh, he said they didn’t as they were more interested in the raid on DUMC.

“I told the police we didn’t investigate Koh.”

The panel asked Zaaba if he was withholding information from the police by not telling them about the complaints received.

Zaaba said he merely answered what the police had asked him.

3.10pm: Koh family lawyers asked Zaaba if he was questioned by police after Koh’s abduction, he replied in the affirmative.

Lawyers asked Zaaba if Supari was the police officer that had questioned him, he said yes.

They asked if Zaaba informed Supari that he had received complaints prior to the raid at DUMC, to which he replied that he couldn’t remember.

Lawyers asked Zaaba if he would have told police officers about the complaints if they asked about it, he said he would have answered if police asked.

They also asked Zaaba if he was trying to hide information on the complaints that were made from the police.

Zaaba said that he didn’t inform the police because the information was secret.

Koh family lawyers then asked Zaaba if he would reveal the information if the police found out that complaints were made against DUMC and he was asked to reveal it.

Zaaba said that he would refer to either his director or the deputy to release the information.

Lawyers then asked on what basis was the information classified as a secret.

Zaaba said he had to safeguard the person who made the complaint.

2.50pm: The inquiry resumes with Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) officer Zaaba Zakaria taking the stand. – November 17, 2017.