A TOP Christian leader today knocked down speculation that the four social activists who have gone missing had been proselytising to Muslims.

Council of Churches of Malaysia (CCM) general-secretary Rev Dr Hermen Shastri said if there was evidence that they had been trying to convert Muslims, there were ‎ample laws to deal with the issue.

“Even if they have broken the law, there is no need for extrajudicial abductions, as the constitution clearly states that converting Muslims is against the law and action can be taken,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

Hermen said he did not know the missing four – Pastor Raymond Koh, Joshua Hilmy and his wife, Ruth, and Amri Che Mat – personally but added that proselytising to Muslims was not sanctioned by the CCM.‎ The CCM is a fellowship of mainstream and established churches.

Churches in the country run charity programmes to help the poor and needy. They also run centres which cater to single mothers, drug addicts and those with HIV.

“Anyone is welcome. It is open to all races. We treat them with love and respect but do not try and convert them,” he said.

Hermen ‎said he knew Peter Chong, the former Petaling Jaya councillor who was reported missing on April 9 but was found to have gone to Thailand on April 7.

“He was very active in social activism. In fact, he had offered to help set up a Christian youth group.

“He is a member of the Methodist church and was a regular at all the vigils held for Koh.

“I spoke to him last week and there was no indication that he was having any problems, financial or otherwise.”

Hermen then sent a WhatsApp message to Chong but there was no response.

Earlier yesterday, Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar said police investigations into Chong’s disappearance revealed that he had gone to Thailand on April 7. He said police have evidence in the form of photographs and information from the Immigration checkpoint to support the claim.  

The police chief also suggested that Chong might have run away because of some debts. Chong was also a former assistant to Subang MP Sivarasa Rasiah.

Khalid said police were also concerned about the missing four but said only Koh’s was being treated as a case of abduction.

Koh was abducted in Petaling Jaya on February 13 by about 15 men who came in three SUVs. They forced his silver Honda Accord to a stop before bundling him into a SUV. The case gained attention when an alleged CCTV recording of his abduction went viral. 

Amri, the 43-year-old social activist from Perlis, went missing on November 24, 2016. He founded the civil society organisation, Perlis Hope, which looked after the poor and needy in the northern peninsular state.

Joshua was reported missing a week later. He is a pastor of Malay descent and a former Muslim. His wife, Ruth, is also believed to be missing. – April 14, 2017.