PASTOR Raymond Koh was a marked man, the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) heard today at the public inquiry into his disappearance.

Harapan Komuniti director G. Sri Ram told the inquiry that Koh was stressed after Selangor religious authorities raided the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC), where he was hosting a dinner that had Muslim guests, in 2011.

“Koh said after the DUMC incident, he was stressed. I had told him that he was a marked man,” said Sri Ram.

Sri Ram is the third witness to be called in the inquiry to determine if the pastor’s case involved an “enforced disappearance”, a term that describes abductions involving the authorities.

He has known Koh since 1977, when he came to give a talk at the Bukit Bintang Boys School in Petaling Jaya.

Sri Ram said he joined the church in 1999, and in 2004, became director at Harapan Komuniti, a centre that was set up by Koh.

The inquiry is chaired by Suhakam commissioners Mah Weng Kwai, Aishah Bidin and Dr Nik Salida Suhaila Nik Saleh, and is held at the human rights body’s headquarters at Menara TH in Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur.

Mah then asked Sri Ram if there was any threat made against Koh.

Sri Ram said the pastor had confided in him that he had been receiving anonymous calls.

“Koh said he had been receiving calls from 2011 to 2012. He said they would call and hang up.”

Earlier, the inquiry heard from Koh’s wife, Susanna Liew, that police had repeatedly questioned her about whether he was proselytising.

“One of the questions I was repeatedly asked was whether he was involved in proselytising.”

Suhakam officers then ask Liew if Koh had been harassed before his abduction.

Liew said the only such incident occurred when the Selangor Religious Islamic Department (Jais) raided DUMC.

“About 50 officers from Jais and police raided the event. They rushed in without any permission.

“After the incident, Koh received a letter with two bullets in the mail.”

Today is the second day of Suhakam’s public inquiry into the disappearance of Koh and three others, namely Joshua Hilmy, his wife, Ruth, and Amri Che Mat.

More than 15 people have been subpoenaed to attend the inquiry and, to date, the commission has interviewed 35 people, including family members of the missing four, police and interested parties.

Among those subpoenaed is former inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar. – October 20, 2017.