‘The judge was clear, the police abducted my husband’: Landmark ruling on the disappearance of Pastor Raymond Koh

The case of Malaysian pastor Raymond Koh has taken a historic turn.

Eight years after his forced disappearance — a kidnapping committed in broad daylight and recorded by security cameras — a judge in the Malaysian High Court has ruled that the police were involved and ordered the reopening of the investigation.

This unprecedented ruling in the South Asian country, also includes millions of dollars in compensation for the family and an urgent request to the government to reveal the pastor's whereabouts.

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Spanish news website Protestante Digital spoke with his wife, Susana Liew, after the announcement of the decision.

For almost nine years, she has led a public and legal battle for truth and justice, supported by churches and international organisations, including Open Doors, which facilitated this interview. She has not yet lost hope of finding her husband alive.

Q. How have you lived these years without Raymond?

A. These nine years have been very difficult. We don't know what happened or where he is. He was the head of our family and our breadwinner. 

We have three children; one of them had just left to study in the US when everything happened, which was a huge financial burden.

We thank God for sustaining us. In the first few months, we were afraid. I was repeatedly called to the police station for questioning. It was strange: I was the victim, and yet they treated us poorly, violated our rights and never updated us on the investigation.

Later, we realised they were not doing a proper job in finding those who abducted my husband.

Question. How did you feel when you heard the sentence?

Answer. I was very happy with the judge’s decision because he was honest and meticulous. He specifically ordered the authorities, both the police and the government, to reveal the whereabouts of my husband.

He also instructed the Attorney General’s Chambers to reopen investigations into the abduction and enforced disappearance of Pastor Raymond and the Muslim social activist Amri Che Mat, and he said that the accused officers must not be involved in the investigation.

The judge acknowledged that the police were involved and that it was an enforced disappearance, carried out by state agents.

Furthermore, the judge awarded compensation of 37 million ringgit (€6.8 million) to the family. Thirty-three million is to be placed in a trust fund for Raymond, calculated at 10,000 ringgit per day from the date of his abduction, 13 February 2017, until today. The amount will continue to accumulate until the police reveal where Raymond is or produce his body.

The court also awarded an additional 5% annual interest, and 4 million in compensation for aggravated and general damages, to me and my family.

Q. Is the legal process really over?

A. The Attorney General's Office has appealed the ruling. But the verdict is clear: the police were involved in the abduction and it was an enforced disappearance. They still refuse to tell us where Raymond is or what happened.
 

Q. What do you think will happen now?

A. Many human rights groups, such as Amnesty International, have spoken out against the government's appeal of the ruling. They say it is unjust.

Politicians and civil organisations also strongly support the judge, especially considering the nine years we have endured without any information about Raymond and Amri Che Mat.

Q. When Raymond was abducted, what explanation did you receive about why this happened?

A. We suspect it is related to the social work we were doing. We helped people in need, many of whom were Muslims. My husband founded an NGO called Harapan Community, and the other activist had his own organisation as well.

We believe that some people suspected we were trying to convert Muslims to Christianity, and that the other activist, who was Shia, was trying to convert Sunnis to Shia Islam.

Q. What kind of support have you received, both inside and outside Malaysia?

A. In Malaysia, many churches pray for us every Sunday. We also receive cards and messages from all over the world, Europe, the United Kingdom, the United States, with words of encouragement and Bible verses. That gave us the strength to continue fighting for truth and justice.

Q. Do you think this case will encourage others to report abuses and violations of their rights?

A. Yes. Taking this case to court has encouraged many people to speak out against injustices and human rights violations, especially those related to religious freedom.

It wasn't easy; we spent five years in and out of court and faced opposition at every step. But I think it has encouraged many people not to remain silent.

Q. Do you plan to continue living and working in Malaysia?

A. For now, yes. We will continue to collaborate with human rights organisations to strengthen the human rights movement here.

I don't know if my life is in danger, but there is a lot of international attention now, and we hope this will deter those who want to damage Malaysia's image as a democratic and moderate country. We continue to pray for protection for ourselves, our lawyers and the judge.

Q. Do you have a message for the international community that has supported you?

A. I want to thank all the organisations and individuals who have supported us, especially Open Doors, Voice of the Martyrs, Release International, Christian Solidarity Worldwide, and many more.

I was recently in France and saw how much effort they put into raising awareness of our case. Your prayers have been answered: not only did we win, but our victory was greater than we could have imagined.

The record compensation sends a clear message to the authorities: they cannot commit illegal acts, kidnap people and get away with it. Your support has encouraged us and strengthened our determination to continue fighting for human rights and religious freedom.

We call on the international community to continue to apply pressure, speak out, and even encourage their parliamentarians and governments to address this issue, especially now that the Attorney General's Office wants to appeal the ruling.

What we want is simple: for our loved ones to be released if they are still alive; to know what happened; and the perpetrators to be arrested and prosecuted .

They should not be free. They have probably killed, and they could do so again.