SUHAKAM commissioners presiding over the public inquiry into the disappearance of Pastor Joshua Hilmy and his wife Ruth Sitepu expressed their disappointment with the lack of preparation of a police witness who took the stand today. 

Commissioner Hishamuddin Yunus said he was disappointed with the lack of information from the 13th witness, Assistant Superintendent Hairol Azhar.

“An officer who is coming to the inquiry must be well prepared. I’m rather upset and disappointed,” said Hishamuddin after the witness could not give precise answers to the questions posed to him.

“He could have requested for another date (if not prepared).”

Police observers at the inquiry said Hairol had come all the way from the Kemaman district police headquarters in Terengganu, adding he should have been given more time to prepare.

They said Hairol should have been given two to three days to get the investigation diary from the Sg Way investigating officer.

Hairol was the Sg Way police station chief in 2018 when he was assigned to track down Joshua and Ruth.

He was in charge of the case for 18 days. He submitted his report to the head of the criminal investigation department on October 23 the same year before he was transferred to Terengganu.

Hishamuddin also asked Hairol if he had consulted the investigating officer in charge of the case.

Hairol said he couldn’t recall if he had spoken to the investigating officer. 

“I don’t know and didn’t ask. I was just asked to investigate this case by the chief of the criminal investigation department.”

Suhakam officers asked if he knew about Joshua and Ruth’s disappearance. 

He said he didn’t know that they were missing and only found out in 2018 when he took over the case. 

Commissioner Madeline Berma then said their disappearance was all over social media, news portals and newspapers.

Hairol insisted he did not know until he took over the case. 

Lawyer Philip Koh then asked if he found it odd that Joshua was a church-going Malay.

Hairol said that it is not strange as Malaysians had freedom of religion. 

Bar Council lawyer Andrew Khoo then asked if Hairol could order the police to drop other matters and focus on the missing persons case.

The policeman said there was already an investigating officer assigned to their case. 

“If there are 10 other cases, how are the sergeants going to assist me. I will have to carry on investigating the case,” he said.

Little else is known about Joshua and Ruth, who are suspected to be victims of enforced disappearance. In 2018, two years after their disappearance, Ruth’s siblings lodged a missing persons report.

Ruth’s family came from the fishing village of Nambiki in northern Sumatra, Indonesia.

International human rights laws define enforced disappearance as when a person is secretly abducted or imprisoned by a state or political organisation, or by a third party with the authorisation, support or acquiescence of a state or political organisation.

The Suhakam panel is chaired by commissioner Hishamuddin, assisted by commissioners Jerald Joseph and Madeline. – September 10, 2020.