Govt Promised To Look Into Pastor Koh Amri S Enforced Disappearance

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The families of missing Pastor Raymond Koh and activist Amri Che Mat were promised in 2019 that the then government under Dr Mahathir Mohamad would look into the duo’s enforced disappearance.
Perlis Hope adviser Mohammad Faisol Abd Rahman told the Kuala Lumpur High Court this during today’s hearing of the Koh family’s related lawsuit against the government and the police.
The witness, who knew Amri (above, right) before the co-founder of the charity organisation disappeared on Nov 24, 2016, was giving oral evidence in support of Susanna Liew’s lawsuit over her husband Koh’s disappearance on Feb 13, 2017.
During the hearing before judge Su Tiang Joo over Koh’s disappearance, Faisol testified that he alongside Amri’s wife Norhayati Mohd Ariffin and Liew met then-home minister Muhyiddin Yassin who promised to bring the issue to the cabinet.
While under examination-in-chief by Liew’s lawyer Steven Thiru, Faisol said Muhyiddin’s then principal private secretary Marzuki Mohamad had arranged the meeting, which took place at the Home Ministry in Putrajaya.
Describing the meeting as taking place after Suhakam made a finding on April 3, 2019 - that Special Branch officers from Bukit Aman were responsible for Koh and Amri’s enforced disappearances - Faisol confirmed the meeting as depicted in two photographs shown in court.
Mohammad Faisol Abd RahmanOne photo showed Muhyiddin meeting with the group in the home minister’s office, and that the group comprised DAP leaders Teresa Kok and Steven Sim as well as Faisol, Norhayati, Liew, and several others.
The second photo showed the group minus Muhyiddin posing outside the same office after the half-hour meeting.
Thiru: What did Muhyiddin say (in the meeting)?
Faisol: Muhyiddin said he took the matter seriously, that he would investigate the issue, and not worry as he was very concerned about what happened.
Thiru: The families managed to raise their questions?
Faisol: Yes.
Thiru: Did Muhyiddin answer (the questions)?
Faisol: Yes.
Thiru: How did the meeting end?
Faisol: With Muhyiddin promising to bring the case to the cabinet.
Limited access to classified report
On May 23, 2019, Muhyiddin announced that the ministry would establish a special committee to reinvestigate the case of Koh and Amri’s disappearance.
This special task force later prepared a report classified under the Official Secrets Act 1972.
Former home minister Muhyiddin YassinLate last year, the civil court allowed Norhayati to obtain limited access to the report to strengthen her civil suit against the police and government over Amri’s disappearance.
Recently, Liew herself filed a separate application for limited access to the classified report to bolster her lawsuit against the authorities over Koh's disappearance.
The trial of Liew’s lawsuit before Su will resume tomorrow.
A year after the Suhakam finding, Liew filed a civil court action to compel the authorities to reveal Koh’s whereabouts.
Su is also presiding over Norhayati’s suit. - Mkini

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