Identity of complainant in church raid kept secret, inquiry told

SUHAKAM INQUIRY | A Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) officer who led a team to raid the Damansara Utama Methodist Church in August 2011 during a programme organised by pastor Raymond Koh's organisation Harapan Komuniti said he did not reveal to police the identity of the person behind the complaint that led to the raid.

Jais enforcement officer Zaaba Zakaria, who testified before the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) public hearing into the disappearance of Koh, had initially repeatedly said that he "does not remember" the questions asked by police in relation to the raid after Koh had disappeared.

For example, when asked by the Koh family lawyer Steven Thiru (photo) as to whether the investigating officer tasked to probe Koh's disappearance, Supari Mohammad, had asked whether a complaint was lodged with Jais before the raid, Zaaba said he could not remember.

When it was pointed out to him that the question was important, Zaaba insisted that he could not remember.

"If the question was asked, I would have answered but I really cannot remember. If it (the question) was asked, I would have said that a complaint was lodged."

However, Zaaba admitted that the identity of the complainant was not revealed to the police.

Lawyer: 'Safeguarded from the police?'

Prodded further on why the information was kept secret from the police, Zaaba said he was of the opinion that the complainant's safety must be safeguarded.

This had led Steven to ask, incredulously, "(Safeguarded) from the police?"

To this, Zaaba said that it would depend on the circumstances at the time.

Zaaba agreed that he did not reveal the information as he felt that it was supposed to be kept secret.

When it was pointed out that he was hiding information from the police and whether not revealing the information based on any legal provision, Zaaba said he was not familiar with the relevant provision in doing so.

Asked whether he would reveal the information to police if he were to be called in again for his statement, Zaaba said he would need to obtain permission from his superiors.

He also confirmed that he did not show the report that was lodged with Jais to police when he requested assistance from them to conduct the raid.

"They (police) didn't ask for the relevant document," he said.

Following the raid, 12 Muslims who attended the programme held at the church were told to attend counselling with Jais.

Koh was kidnapped by a group of masked and armed men on Feb 13.

The Suhakam inquiry is seeking to establish whether the disappearances of Koh, Amri Che Mat and Joshua Hilmy and his wife Ruth Hilmy, are tantamount to enforced disappearances as defined under International Convention for Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearances (ICPPED).- Mkini