CIVIL society groups are hopeful there will be a breakthrough into Pastor Raymond Koh’s abduction after the arrest of a suspect last week.

Citizen Action Group on Enforced Disappearance (Caged) spokeman Thomas Fann hopes the arrest will help the police crack the case.

“We hope they (police) have got a real lead to solve the case and not just another false alarm, like the previous incident where the person tried to extort money from Koh’s family,” he said tonight at a candlelight vigil in Dataran Merdeka.

While Fann praised the police’s efforts, he said that Koh’s family should be updated regularly on the progress of the case.

“The family has to come first then they can inform the public about the progress.”

In March, police arrested a 32-year-old man in Ampang, almost a month after Koh was abducted.

The man had contacted Koh’s family a day before his arrest and asked for money to help secure his release.

Earlier, Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar had said that police was investigating the pastor’s disappearance and had arrested a suspect from a northern state last week.

Khalid also said the public should not make wild accusations that the authorities and government have a hand in Koh’s disappearance without any evidence.

A spokesman for Koh’s family had said that they would not comment until they get more substantial information from police on the arrest.

The spokesman also said that the family were not informed of the arrest which allegedly took place last week.

In their quest for more answers, Caged again led a candlelight vigil in Dataran Merdeka to stand in solidarity with the families of the missing four.

The event ended with the crowd of about 30 people lighting candles.

Koh was abducted in Petaling Jaya on February 13 by 15 men in three black SUVs. The kidnapping, which took place in broad daylight, appeared well coordinated.

Joshua Hilmy, a pastor of Malay descent, and his wife Ruth, went missing on Nov 30 last year while Amir Che Mat vanished on the night of Nov 24 last year after he told his eldest daughter that he was going out. – May 27, 2017.