Pastor Koh received death threat, two bullets, wife testifies

 

Susanna Liew said to date, there have been no updates on the police investigation into the death threat received by the family.

KUALA LUMPUR: Pastor Raymond Koh and his family were shocked to receive a death threat in the form of two bullets and a note written in red 12 years ago, his wife testified in the High Court today.

Susanna Liew said the threat arrived a few weeks after the Selangor Islamic religious department (Jais) raided a fundraising dinner held at the Damansara Utama Methodist Church on Aug 3, 2011.

“On Aug 26, 2011, we received a small package left at our home. It contained a note written in red and a cigarette box with two bullets. It was a death threat against my husband,” she testified before judicial commissioner Su Tiang Joo.

Liew said the note contained a warning to kill Koh for allegedly proselytising to a dozen Malays.

She added that the incident prompted her husband to file a police report on the same day.

However, she said that till today, there was no update on the progress of the investigation.

“The police never informed me or my husband of the results of their investigation, despite our repeated requests. To date, I do not know the outcome of the police investigation into the threat on our lives,” she said.

Liew testified that the fundraising dinner was turned into a religious matter “with allegations of ‘Christianisation’”.

She said this was evident through excerpts from speeches by certain individuals at Masjid Negeri Shah Alam on Aug 12, 2011, questioning the fundraising dinner, and from another gathering called “Himpunan Sejuta Umat” at the Shah Alam stadium on Oct 22, 2011.

Yesterday, the High Court heard that Jais had raided the church on Aug 3, 2011, while a fundraising dinner was being held in the compound.

The fundraiser was organised by Harapan Komuniti, an NGO founded by Koh.

During the trial, Liew was sobbing as she spoke about her husband.

“He was a very loving, affectionate, and kind husband and father. As a pastor and social worker, he never hesitated to lend a helping hand to anyone regardless of ethnicity, race or religion, and to make a difference in their lives,” she said.

The court was also shown pictures of Koh engaging in NGO-related activities such as distributing food to the homeless in Pudu, Kuala Lumpur, and providing aid to flood victims in Johor in 2007.

Koh has been missing since 2017 in what has been described by Suhakam as an enforced disappearance.

Liew is suing the police, inspector-general of police, and a number of former high-ranking police officers over her husband’s disappearance.

The list includes former IGPs Khalid Abu Bakar and Fuzi Harun, and Awaludin Jadid, the former principal assistant director of the special branch’s social extremism division.

Liew is seeking damages over Koh’s disappearance, and for the authorities to be held liable for his unlawful abduction and for misfeasance in public office.

The hearing before Su continues on Dec 13. - FMT