ON the first floor of a shop lot in Taman Sri Manja, Petaling Jaya, a woman arranges books on the shelves which line the walls of the sparsely furnished unit.

The place is neat, with two tables and several chairs placed in the centre. In a separate room, several desktop computers are seen. That is the computer room.

After being closed for about a week in February, it is now business as usual at Harapan Komunity, a reading and learning centre set up by Pastor Raymond Koh, who has gone missing for more than two months now.

The centre was established in 2004, a non-profit undertaking which Koh set up to help all those who needed assistance and friendship, regardless of race, religion or social status.

Currently, the centre caters to children of the poor living in the neighbourhood. Most are of mixed parentage, Indonesians and Malaysians.

The centre has four children from the ages of five to 10, who come in daily for classes. On weekends, there are more pupils.

They come to study the basics – Bahasa Malaysia, English and Mathematics. The younger ones learn to read and write.

The only person at the centre, who gave her name as Salvee, manages the place and teaches the children.

Harapan Komunti is also affiliated with HIV/AIDS awareness counselling and helps single mothers.

Salvee told The Malaysian Insight that Koh had plans to expand the programmes and get in more volunteers, but all that plans have been shelved with his disappearance.

“The children at the centre also keep asking where is ‘Uncle Raymond’ and what has happened to him? The children said ‘Dia bukan orang jahat, dia orang baik’ (he is not a bad person, he is good).”

Salvee said the rental for the premises and utility bills are paid by Koh’s wife, Susanna Liew.

“The family are passionate about Koh’s work and they want to keep the centre open. Koh’s children have also come from time to time to volunteer.”

Koh was abducted on February 13 while he was driving along Jalan SS4B/10 in Petaling Jaya. About 15 men in three black SUVs carried out the abduction in what appeared to be a well-coordinated operation.

There has been no ransom demand nor any communication from his abductors, suggesting that money was not the motive.

Earlier this week, the United States Commission on Religious Freedom, in its annual report said Malaysian religious authorities have previously harassed Koh after suspecting him of converting Muslims to Christianity.

The report added that these fears were heightened by reports of religious leaders being harassed and kidnapped.

Koh’s family have refused to comment on the report.

When the allegation that Koh was converting Muslims first surfaced several weeks ago, his wife, Susanna had said: “I’m shocked as this is the first time I’m hearing about it.

“No matter what had happened (referring to reports of Koh’s evangelistic work), there is no justification to abduct someone.” 

She was then commenting on a news report quoting Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar as saying that police had received a report alleging Koh was attempting to evangelise to some youths in Kangar, Perlis.

On the latest report by the US committee, the family again declined to comment but a spokesman for them said the only harassment they knew of was when Koh received two bullets in the post in 2011.

This was after the Selangor Religious Islamic Department (Jais) raided an event at the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) where Koh was hosting a luncheon which also had Muslim attendees.

The family, it is learnt, are now focused on running Koh’s Harapan Komuniti to keep their hopes alive that he will return soon.

Church and civil society groups, meanwhile, will not allow Koh’s disappearance to be forgotten. They have been organising vigils for the missing pastor at Dataran Merdeka and other areas in the Klang Valley on a regular basis. 

There have also been vigils in Sabah and Sarawak.

This Sunday, the quest for answers into Koh’s disappearance will be in Ipoh, Perak. Several speakers have been lined up and they will press the authorities for answers. – May 4, 2017.