NATIONAL Unity and Integration Minister Joseph Kurup has agreed to meet the family of Pastor Raymond Koh who disappeared more than three months ago – breaking Putrajaya’s silence on the case after pressure by Christian and civil society groups.

The meeting will include Council of Churches of Malaysia (CCM) general-secretary Rev Dr Hermen Shastri, who had earlier complained about Putrajaya’s silence on the pastor’s disappearance despite taking their concerns to Kurup earlier.

Kurup told The Malaysian Insight that he will issue a statement after listening to the grouses from Koh’s family and CCM.

“I would like to meet the family as well as members of the Council of Churches Malaysia. I urge them to make an appointment with my office to discuss their concerns,” Kurup told The Malaysian Insight.

He was commenting on a report last week where the church and civil society groups slammed Putrajaya on its deafening silence on the abducted pastor.

The report stated that Putrajaya had not responded to a letter from the World Council of Churches, nor did it get back to CCM after the Christian body took its concerns to Kurup.

Instead, police have called up three civil society activists to explain statements they made linking Koh and three others who went missing more than six months ago, with “enforced disappearances”.

Engage spokesman Thomas Fann, Suaram’s Sevan Doraisamy and Bersih’s Rama Ramanathan have been told to present themselves at the federal police headquarters in Bukit Aman tomorrow.

The trio are part of the Citizen Action Group on Enforced Disappearance (Caged) formed earlier this month to find answers on the disappearance of the four activists.  They will be represented by lawyer cum human rights advocate Ambiga Sreenevasan who is also a member of Caged.

Caged has sent a report on Koh’s disappearance to the United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID).

In international human rights law, a forced disappearance or enforced disappearance occurs 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.

Sevan, who has been assisting the family, said that it has been 100 days and there is still no response on the pastor’s disappearance from the authorities.

“We want to reinstate that the family are seeking answers and will continue to support and assist them.”

Koh’s abduction had also prompted a response from the international community of churches.

In an open letter dated March 7 to Prime Minister Najib Razak, Secretary-General of the World Council of Churches Rev Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, said he was “gravely concerned” over the events surrounding the abduction.

The WCC represents a global fellowship of more than 340 churches from some 110 countries.

Koh was abducted from his car in Petaling Jaya on February 13 by 15 men in three black SUVs. The kidnapping, which took place in broad daylight, appeared to have been well coordinated.

Joshua Hilmy, a pastor of Malay descent, and his wife Ruth, went missing on November 30 last year while Amir Che Mat went missing on the night of November 24 last year after he told his eldest daughter that he was going out. – May 23, 2017.