Police officers involved in enforced dissapearance of Amri Che Mat pastor Raymond Koh Keng Joo is shocking
After an extensive public inquiry, the Human
Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) announced today that the Special
Branch, the special police intelligence team from Bukit Aman, was
involved in the abduction of pastor Raymond Koh, similar to that of
activist Amri Che Mat.
Suhakam chairman Datuk Mah Weng Kwai said evidence showed that the abductions of Koh and Amri were carried out by agents of the Special Branch in Bukit Aman...
The full reports of the Inquiry Panel is available at SUHAKAM websiteHe added: “The panel is of the view that the ‘enforced disappearance’ (of Amri and Koh) was carried out by agents of the state, mainly the Special Branch, Bukit Aman”...Mah said the inquiry panel unanimously reached this conclusion based on evidence that showed that individuals or groups, probably operating with the involvement or support of “state agents” whom they also identified as the Special Branch, were behind the abduction....“The direct and circumstantial evidence in Amri Che Mat’s case proves, on a balance of probabilities, that he was abducted by state agents, namely the Special Branch.”...In the case of Koh, the panel said: “The direct and circumstantial evidence proves, on a balance of probability, that he was abducted by state agents, namely the Special Branch”.
Now, the question is what is the government going to do...Will, there immediately be a TASK FORCE set up to investigate and hopefully prosecute the guilty...and more importantly find these victims of enforced disappearance...
It is vital that the whereabouts of Amri Che Mat and Pastor Raymond Koh; the two other missing persons, Pastor Joshua Helmi and his wife Ruth; and a fifth person, a former civilian contract worker for the Royal Malaysia Police based at the police training centre by the name of Saiful Bahari who has also vanished; be determined for the sake of their families and loved ones. They, and the Malaysian public, have the right — and deserve — to know the truth about what has happened to all of them. - Abdul Fareed Abdul Gafoor, President Malaysian Bar
Suhakam: Amri, Koh victims of enforced disapperance by state agents (Updated)
03 Apr 2019 / 11:38 H.
KUALA LUMPUR:
The police were behind the disappearance of pastor Raymond Koh Keng Joo
and activist Amri Che Mat more than two years ago, the Human Rights
Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) said today.
Suhakam chairman
Datuk Mah Weng Kwai said evidence showed that the abductions of Koh and
Amri were carried out by agents of the Special Branch in Bukit Aman.
Mah,
who led the year-long inquiry into the disappearance of Amri and Koh,
said Amri was abducted by persons acting with authorisation and support
of “agents of the state”.
However, in Koh’s case, there was no
evidence to show that those who abducted him were acting on the
authorisation and support of the state.
He added: “The panel is
of the view that the ‘enforced disappearance’ (of Amri and Koh) was
carried out by agents of the state, mainly the Special Branch, Bukit
Aman”.
Mah said the inquiry panel unanimously reached this
conclusion based on evidence that showed that individuals or groups,
probably operating with the involvement or support of “state agents”
whom they also identified as the Special Branch, were behind the
abduction.
“The direct and circumstantial evidence in Amri Che
Mat’s case proves, on a balance of probabilities, that he was abducted
by state agents, namely the Special Branch.”
In the case of Koh,
the panel said: “The direct and circumstantial evidence proves, on a
balance of probability, that he was abducted by state agents, namely the
Special Branch”.
Amri, a co-founder of welfare association Perlis Hope, was reported missing on Nov 24, 2016.
Koh was on his way to visit a friend on Feb 13, 2017 when he was abducted by a group of men on Jalan SS4B/10 in Petaling Jaya.
His silver-coloured car bearing the registration number ST5515D has still not been found.
Koh was the founder of Harapan Komuniti, a reading centre.
Mah
said the evidence adduced also showed clearly that both the police and
religious authorities were uncertain of the extent of their powers and
jurisdiction in the enforcement (of the law) against the propagation of
Christianity.
The panel said it is now up to the police to
“properly investigate and bring to book the culprits responsible for the
two men’s disappearance.
“For starters, experienced investigating officers should be appointed to reinvestigate the case,“ it added.
A total of 25 people, including senior police officers and Perlis mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin, testified at the inquiry.
Final Decision of the Public Inquiry into the Disappearance of Amri Che Mat:
Final Decision of the Public Inquiry into the Disappearance of Pastor Raymond Koh:
Special Branch behind pastor Raymond Koh’s disappearance, says Suhakam
KUALA LUMPUR, April 3 — After an extensive public inquiry, the Human
Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) announced today that the Special
Branch, the special police intelligence team from Bukit Aman, was
involved in the abduction of pastor Raymond Koh, similar to that of
activist Amri Che Mat.
Commissioner Datuk Mah Weng Kwai said its decision was based on the
findings of its panel that had been looking into Koh’s abduction, which
took place on February 13, 2017.
“The direct and circumstantial evidence in Pastor Raymond Koh’s case
proves, on a balance of probabilities, that he was abducted by State
agents namely, the Special Branch, Bukit Aman, Kuala Lumpur.
“The Panel further finds that there is no evidence to support the
contention, as suggested by Counsel on behalf of Pastor Raymond Koh’s
family and Counsel for the Bar Council, Pastor Raymond Koh was abducted
by persons or groups of persons acting with the authorisation, support
or acquiescence of the State,” Mah said. - Malay Mail, 3/4/2019
The Malaysian Public Has the Right to Know the Truth about What Has Happened
| Posted by Web Administrator | |
| Wednesday, 03 April 2019 03:35pm | |
 The
Malaysian Bar is appalled that the finding unanimously reached by
members of the panel of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia
(“SUHAKAM”)’s Public Inquiry into the Disappearance of Amri Che Mat and
Pastor Raymond Koh (“Inquiry Panel”), is that both Amri Che Mat and
Pastor Raymond Koh were the victims of enforced disappearance at the
hands of the Special Branch of the headquarters of the Royal Malaysia
Police in Bukit Aman.
The
decision is a damning indictment of the impunity exercised by this
particular section of the Royal Malaysia Police (ie the Special Branch),
which is privileged, and protected from scrutiny and accountability.
The
decision, as summarised and read out by the Chairman of the Inquiry
Panel, former Court of Appeal Judge Dato’ Mah Weng Kwai, sets out a
litany of fake alternative explanations in what had been an
ill-conceived and nefarious attempt to shift attention away from the
Special Branch and to pin the responsibility for these disappearances on
other groups or individuals. There were conclusions arrived at by the
Inquiry Panel concerning dubious and contradictory testimony by various
police personnel, including by former Inspector General of Police, Tan
Sri Khalid Abu Bakar; possible fabrication of evidence by the police;
and even a concerted effort to derail the proceedings by charging an
individual and claiming that, as a result, SUHAKAM no longer had any
jurisdiction to proceed with the inquiry.
More
worrying still was the thread of actual testimony and circumstantial
evidence that interwove this operation by the Special Branch with the
abuse of power by certain individuals within the state Islamic religious
authorities, to seek to highlight the threat of Shia Islam.
The
Malaysian Bar thus wholeheartedly supports the recommendations of the
Inquiry Panel, principally the establishment of a Special Task Force to
reclassify, reopen and reinvestigate the disappearance of Amri Che Mat
and Pastor Raymond Koh, and especially to look into police involvement
in their disappearances. In our view, such a Special Task Force must be
given every power to investigate this matter, without let or hindrance.
The Inquiry Panel has also recommended that the authorities:
The
Malaysian Bar strongly urges the Government to take the decision of the
Inquiry Panel with the utmost seriousness, and to adopt and immediately
implement the Inquiry Panel’s various recommendations without any delay
or excuse.
It
is vital that the whereabouts of Amri Che Mat and Pastor Raymond Koh;
the two other missing persons, Pastor Joshua Helmi and his wife Ruth;
and a fifth person, a former civilian contract worker for the Royal
Malaysia Police based at the police training centre by the name of
Saiful Bahari who has also vanished; be determined for the sake of their
families and loved ones. They, and the Malaysian public, have the
right — and deserve — to know the truth about what has happened to all
of them.
Abdul Fareed Abdul Gafoor
President
Malaysian Bar
4 April 2019
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