THE families of missing Pastor Raymond Koh and Perlis activist Amri Che Mat are more convinced than ever that both men were victims of enforced disappearance.

Their wives, Susanna Liew and Norhayati Ariffin, said they believe the police were involved after hearing explanations by lawyers who gave the closing submissions at the end of a public inquiry into the two men by the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) today.

“Based on the (lawyers’) findings, there are reasonable grounds to say that Koh and Amri are victims of enforced disappearance,” Liew said after the inquiry at the Suhakam headquarters today.

The inquiry, chaired by Suhakam commissioner Mah Weng Kwai, will present its decision on April 3.

In the proceedings today, Koh family lawyer Jerald Gomez suggested that the police had planted evidence at a dead suspect’s home due to the inconsistencies in their testimony.

He also highlighted contradictions in the gathering of evidence, referring to testimonies by former inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar and the leader of the Special Task Force On Organised Crime (Stafoc) Supt Hazril Kamis, who led the first team in the search of the suspect’s home.

Khalid had said that it was Bukit Aman’s serious crime division who found photographs of Koh, his house, vehicle and car number plates at the suspect’s home.

Hazril, however, later testified that it was he who found the items.

Gomez had also previously alleged that Koh’s abduction in Petaling Jaya on February 13, 2017, was carried out in what appeared to be a coordinated method used in operations by a police special task force.

David Morais, the lawyer representing Amri’s family, agreed with Gomez, saying the manner in which Amri was abducted on November 24, 2016, in Perlis, was similar.

He said the way Amri’s car was surrounded looked like a manoeuvre that the police might use.

Morais also questioned why the police couldn’t locate Saiful Afdzan, the owner of the Mak Lang restaurant in Perlis, as he was a critical witness.

Police have said that despite repeated attempts, they cannot locate Saiful, who claimed to have seen Amri being abducted.

Liew said she hoped the Pakatan Harapan government would resolve the disappearances.

“We would like to see a new task force set up which does not involve the police or religious authorities.

“We also want the documents on Koh and Amri which is under the Official Secrets Act (OSA) to be released,” she added.

Liew and Norhayati have submitted a memorandum urging Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to meet them and listen to why they suspect police of having a hand in the disappearances of both men.

Koh had allegedly been under investigation for attempting to convert Muslims to Christianity while the authorities suspected Amri of spreading Shia teachings through his civil society group, Perlis Hope.

Norhayati added she and Liew also want to meet Inspector-General of Police Mohamad Fuzi Harun.

“Since 2016 we have not received any updates from the police. We hope to receive some explanation or clarification,” she said.

After the Suhakam panel’s decision on Koh’s and Amri’s cases on April 3, the inquiry will continue probing the disappearance of two others, Pastor Joshua Hilmy and his wife, Ruth, to ascertain if they are also cases of enforced disappearance. – March 6, 2019.