KL to appeal against ‘landmark’ rulings in cases of 2 abducted men

Court had held govt and police responsible for disappearances of pastor and activist

- Hazlin Hassan

Meanwhile, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution said he will meet ministry officials and the AGC on Nov 7 to review the decisions that ordered the government to pay millions of ringgit in compensation for the abductions of Pastor Raymond Koh and Mr Amri Che Mat.

The court rulings have now bolstered calls for the police’s intelligence unit, called the Special Branch, to be held accountable for these cases, with activists hoping for the families of the two men to find justice.

Datuk Seri Saifuddin told reporters: “Once we have the full briefing, we will determine the direction of the investigation, how the case should be classified, and other related matters. That is the current step we are taking. I should not make any hasty statements until I have all the information.”

In two separate rulings on Nov 5, the High Court in Kuala Lumpur ordered the government to pay millions of ringgit in compensation to the families of the two men, affirming an inquiry that ruled they were victims of abductions.

An inquiry by Malaysia’s Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) in 2019 found that the Special Branch was responsible for the enforced disappearances of Mr Koh in 2017, and Mr Amri in 2016.

An “enforced disappearance” refers to the arrest, detention or abduction of a person by agents of the state, with the person’s fate or whereabouts concealed after that.

Both men had been investigated for allegedly proselytising other religions to Muslims.

Nobody was charged in connection to their disappearances.