Malaysia’s High Court on Wednesday (5 November) held the government and police responsible for the abduction of pastor Raymond Koh, who has been missing since 2017, after an earlier investigation concluded that authorities likely “disappeared” him as a threat to Islam.
The court ruled in favor of Pastor Koh’s wife, awarding her family RM31 million (US$7,377,132) in a lawsuit against the police and the government.
According to the BBC, his wife Susanna Liu told reporters after the verdict: “We are very happy and grateful to God that we were able to get a fair and honest sentence.” “While this does not bring Reverend Raymond back, it does mean some kind of vindication and closure for the family. We dedicate this fight and sentence to Reverend Raymond Coe, a man of compassion and courage, and to all the victims of enforced disappearance.”
In 2017, Koh was dragged from his car in broad daylight on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, an incident that was caught on surveillance video. Passersby also witnessed the crime.
His family had long claimed he had been abducted by police, but authorities denied that. An investigation by the Malaysian Human Rights Commission and the government concluded that he was likely abducted by an elite special branch of the police because he was seen as a threat to mainstream Islam in Muslim-majority Malaysia.
“The government report, which was kept confidential until the family sued to see it, said that ‘rogue police’ were responsible for the abduction and that the officials who led the operation held ‘extreme views’ against Christians and Shiite Muslims,” the BBC reported. “Mr Koh was targeted on suspicion of converting to Islam, which his family denies.”
Under Malaysian state law, leaving Islam is a criminal offense, punishable by fines and imprisonment.
The High Court ruled that police authorities, the Royal Malaysian Police and the Malaysian government were responsible for Koh’s abduction and ordered them to pay the highest amount of damages in the country’s history. The court ordered Mr. Liew to pay millions of ringgit in damages for mental suffering, as well as 10,000 ringgit (approximately 238,000 yen) in general damages for each day of Pastor Koh’s disappearance from the day he was abducted until the day the state revealed his whereabouts.
The judge also ordered the state to reopen the investigation and search for Pastor Koh.
Damages will be placed in a trust, with Ms Liu and her children likely to be named as beneficiaries.
Previously pastor of the Evangelical Free Church in Petaling Jaya, Pastor Koh founded Harapan Kommunity (Hope Community), a non-profit organization that carries out social charity work among marginalized and underprivileged communities, including people living with HIV/AIDS, people recovering from drug addiction, and single mothers and their children.
In 2011, 30 employees of the Selangor Islamic Religious Service (JAIS) attacked a dinner party hosted by Hope Community, accusing the attendees of “converting to Islam”. Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) said that although no charges were filed, Pastor Koh’s family later received death threats.
A High Court judge on Wednesday (5 November) found the government and police responsible for the abduction of Shiite Muslim Amri Che Mat and ordered his wife Norhayati to pay approximately 3 million ringgit ($713,916) in compensation.
“Sadness remains because all questions regarding Mr. Amri’s whereabouts, life and death, health condition, etc., are still unanswered,” Norhayati told reporters. “We sincerely hope that those responsible are held accountable for their actions.”
Approximately 50 percent of Malaysia’s population is Malay, with the remainder being Chinese, Indian, and indigenous. Article 160 of the Constitution states that all Malays are Muslims, and evangelizing Malays is against the law. As Malay states became more Islamist in the 1990s, they began enacting more Sharia (Islamic law) and the Federal Ministry of Islamic Development became more active in promoting Sunni Islam.
Article 3 of the Constitution states: “Islam is the religion of the League, but other religions may be practiced in peace and harmony in any region of the League.” Members of all religions have the right to propagate their faith, but according to Article 11, state and federal laws “may regulate or limit the propagation of religious doctrines or beliefs among persons of the Islamic faith.” Therefore, members of all religions are free to express their beliefs as long as they do not evangelize Muslims (mostly Malays).
In Malaysia, it is illegal to lead Malays, all of whom are legally considered Muslims, to Christ. Any Malay who attempts to change his religion can be detained under orders from sharia courts. There is no right to sue in civil court or “choose” another religion. For Malays, leaving Islam is a crime in most states.
