KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 5 ― The High Court has ordered the Malaysian government to pay more than RM37 million to the family of missing Christian pastor Raymond Koh, holding the state responsible for his abduction eight years ago.

Judge Su Tiang Joo ruled that one or more police personnel — both former and current — were involved in Koh’s abduction and had acted “oppressively and arbitrarily”, misusing their public power in the incident.

He said the government was vicariously liable for negligence, false imprisonment, misfeasance in public office, breach of statutory duty, conspiracy to cause harm, and infringement of fundamental liberties in Koh’s disappearance.

The court awarded RM10,000 per day in general damages from the date of Koh’s disappearance until his whereabouts are revealed, amounting to over RM31.8 million as of today’s ruling.

The judge also ordered the amount to be held in a trust fund that cannot be disbursed to Koh’s wife and children until his fate — whether alive or deceased — is confirmed.

In addition, Su awarded RM6 million in exemplary and aggravated damages to both Koh and his wife, as well as RM250,000 in costs.

Reading out his hour-long ruling, Su said the defendants’ claim — that the coordination seen in the closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage of Koh’s abduction did not indicate state involvement — was untenable.

“The CCTV disclosed the perpetrators acted in a concerted manner. Such execution implies pre-planning and logistical preparation,” he said.

Su noted that the abduction bore similarities to the disappearance of activist Amri Che Mat, which occurred three months earlier, and involved a gold Toyota Vios registered to a Special Branch officer.

“This is not random violence. This fact drives the court to hold that it is an organised unit (that abducted Koh),” he said.

The court also found that the federal government had breached its statutory duty by failing to properly investigate Koh’s disappearance and instead engaged in suppression of evidence and investigative misdirection.

“The concealment of information and misdirection of inquiries suggest the involvement of individuals with direct knowledge seeking to protect those involved,” Su said.

Su further ordered the Inspector-General of Police to remove several named defendants — police officers involved in Amri’s case — from any investigative team handling Koh’s disappearance.

The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) were also directed to reopen investigations and submit progress reports to the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) every two months.

Additionally, the Attorney General must consider the grounds of today’s judgment when appointing new investigators to prevent potential conflicts of interest.

Koh’s wife, Susanna Liew, filed the lawsuit in 2020, just before the three-year limitation period expired, after years of unsuccessful efforts to obtain answers from the authorities.

She sought to hold the state accountable for Koh’s unlawful abduction on February 13, 2017, along Jalan SS4B/10 in Kelana Jaya, Selangor, when his car was surrounded by seven vehicles and about 15 masked individuals.

On April 3, 2019, the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) concluded that Koh was the victim of an enforced disappearance carried out by the police’s Special Branch.

In a press conference after the verdict, Liew said the court’s decision had brought long-awaited closure and vindication for the family after almost nine years of anguish and uncertainty.

“Today marks a historic and emotional milestone for the Koh family.

“The High Court has delivered a judgment on what we have long believed: that Pastor Raymond Koh was a victim of a grave injustice,” she said.

She also expressed shock that the federal government had not acted upon the special task force report, even after it was presented to the Cabinet.

* The report was edited to clarify the sums awarded in the case of Pastor Raymond Koh. - Malay Mail, 5/11/2025

Govt, cops ordered to pay RM37mil to Pastor Koh’s family

High Court orders the government and the police to pay the sum over their involvement in his abduction in February 2017.

Pastor Raymond Koh
Pastor Raymond Koh was abducted on Feb 13, 2017 while he was driving along Jalan SS4B/10 in Petaling Jaya. (File pic)
KUALA LUMPUR:
The High Court here has ordered the government and the police to pay a sum of more than RM37 million to the family of missing Pastor Raymond Koh over the state’s involvement in his abduction.

Justice Su Tiang Joo held that one or more of the defendants, who are both current and former police officers, were involved in Koh’s abduction and had acted under orders eight years ago.

He ordered a sum of RM33 million to be entered against the government over the “wrongful acts” committed against Koh.

However, the funds have to be kept in a trust fund and cannot go directly to Koh’s wife, Susanna Liew, and her three children.

“The money is to be kept until the pastor’s whereabouts is ascertained,” Su said.

He also ordered a sum of RM4 million in general and aggravated damages to be awarded to Liew.

The judge also awarded RM250,000 in costs.

Koh was abducted on Feb 13, 2017 while he was driving along Jalan SS4B/10 in Petaling Jaya. During the trial, the court heard that five masked men in black military outfits had pulled Koh out of his car.

Liew, filed a suit against the police and the government over the state’s involvement in his disappearance and the manner in which the authorities investigated the case. - FMT, 5/11/2025

Govt, cops ordered to pay over RM3mil to Amri Che Mat’s family

High Court judge Su Tiang Joo rules that the government and police had breached their statutory duties by failing to conduct proper investigations into the activist's disappearance.

amri che mat
Activist Amri Che Mat, the founder of the NGO Perlis Hope, left his home at about 11.30pm on Nov 24, 2016, and his car was found the following morning. (File pic)
KUALA LUMPUR:
 
The High Court here today ordered the government and the police to pay a sum of more than RM3 million to the family of activist Amri Che Mat for failure to conduct proper investigations into his disappearance.

Justice Su Tiang Joo ruled that the government and the police had breached their statutory duties, and that their officers had acted unconstitutionally.

The court ordered the two parties to pay RM2 million in general damages, RM1 million in exemplary damages, as well as special damages of RM14,457.52.

It also awarded Amri’s wife, Norhayati Ariffin, costs of RM250,000.

Amri, the founder of the NGO Perlis Hope, left his home at about 11.30pm on Nov 24, 2016. His car was found at a construction site at the Bukit Cabang Sports School in Perlis early the next morning.

Norhayati filed a suit against the government and the police over the manner in which they investigated his disappearance.

In his decision, Su ruled that Norhayati had legal standing to bring the action.

He noted that she had been forced sometime in 2023 to seek an annulment or rescission of her marriage (fasakh) to Amri at the shariah court in order to qualify for financial aid from the state government.

“The fasakh does not change the fact (that Norhayati has legal standing).

“She said she did it to enable her children to get financial assistance, and that she still loves her husband and hopes he will return home one day.

“In my view, for the defendants (government) to contend and urge the court to deny her the right to file this action is manifestly unjust and inhumane,” he said.

Su described the manner in which investigating officer (IO) Khor Yi Shuen probed Amri’s disappearance as “disturbing”.

“The IO did not pursue the investigation with seriousness when he ought to have done so,” he said, adding that Khor had previously told the court he had perceived Shia Islam to be a “threat” to national security.

He said that for more than seven years, there had been a lack of effort on the part of Khor and the police to update Norhayati on what happened to Amri.

He also pointed out that Khor had failed to act speedily in pursuing possible leads as well as recording witness statements.

AG must explain ‘inconsistencies’, says judge

The court also took issue with the manner in which the Attorney-General’s Chambers, representing the government and the police in the proceedings, had conducted their defence.

Su said their defence was a “bare denial” and that the authorities were seen to be “suppressing” evidence from Norhayati.

He noted that Norhayati had filed a judicial review application to obtain the classified task force report about Amri, which the government had attempted to deny her access to.

“According to the task force report, the AGC had decided to reclassify Amri’s case under Section 365 of the Penal Code as kidnapping.

“But, the legal officers still maintained that Amri’s case was one of a missing person,” he said.

Su also criticised the AGC for “going against its own deputy public prosecutor’s decision” in classifying Amri’s investigation as a kidnapping case and for claiming in court that it was related to a missing person.

“The public wants to know how the current AG will deal with this,” he said.

‘Pick new probe team’

The court made an additional order, compelling the inspector-general of police to remove Khor and other officers involved in probing Amri’s case.

“The police need to recommence the investigations and for them to report their findings to the AGC every two months,” Su said.

He also directed the AG to “look into today’s decision” and to select new IOs for the case.

“To avoid any conflict, the legal officers involved in this case should not take part (in giving instructions to police),” he said.

At a press conference after the proceedings, Norhayati expressed gratitude for the decision.

“Praise be to the Almighty for granting this victory to us after nine years of struggles with my lawyer and everyone who has stood by me,” she said.

Norhayati said, however, the decision did not abate her grief of still not knowing her husband’s whereabouts and fate.

“The feeling of sadness remains because questions about Amri’s whereabouts, whether he is alive, dead, or in good health, are all still unanswered.

“We sincerely hope that those responsible will be held accountable for what they have done,” she said. - FMT, 5/11/2025