COMMENT The family of Pastor Raymond Koh who was abducted more than two weeks ago is asking police to investigate the case under Article 364 of the Penal Code - kidnapping or abducting in order to murder - which carries a death penalty or imprisonment of up to 20 years.

Koh’s son, Jonathan, made a second missing person's report yesterday asking police to treat the matter more seriously rather than to put it under Article 365 - kidnapping or abducting with intent to cause that person to be secretly and wrongfully confined - which carries a jail term of only up to seven years.

The family has said that it was obvious the abduction was not for ransom as none was demanded thus far. The family has also initially offered a reward of RM10,000 and later friends topped it to RM100,000, yet there were no takers.

“Where is Raymond Koh? Do Malaysian government officials have the answers?” asked correspondent Gary Lane in his report in the US-based Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) four days ago.

“Kidnapped in broad daylight on Feb 13, the Malaysian pastor’s family has still heard no word from his abductors. They believe police investigators are dragging their feet,” said Lane, who has previously met Koh.

Those close to Koh’s wife, Susanna, confided that police are more interested in finding out who Koh’s followers were and whether they were involved in “Christianisation”, a code word for proselytisation among Muslims.

If this is true, police are obviously either missing the forest for the trees or looking the other way. Likewise, Islamic agencies like Jais and Jakim and even mainstream media are invariably pursuing the proselytisation angle.

But this cannot justify his abduction which was professionally executed in under 40 seconds, according to those who have seen the CCTV recordings.

While the Malay-language media is largely muted on the missing pastor, Wong Chun Wai in his weekly column in The Sunday Star sets the proselytisation agenda clearly by pointing out:

“The only possible answer is that some persons (or group) are not happy with the way he is handling his work.

“Koh’s colleagues have revealed that a bullet was sent to the pastor six years ago after the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) conducted a raid on a thanksgiving and fund-raising dinner organised at a church in Petaling Jaya, where he was accused of proselytising to Muslims.”

Wong conveniently neglects to mention that Koh has never been arrested nor charged nor was there any iota of evidence of proselytisation by Koh.

Unproven allegations

Yet immediately in the following paragraph, Wong makes the mischievous connection: “Religious leaders of any faith must be mindful that attempting to convert anyone is really crossing the line. The majority of Muslims will not tolerate any attempt of proselytising, even in the most subtle form, and leaders of other faiths must understand and accept the sensitivity and reality of the situation.”

In so doing, Wong has nailed Koh to the cross in a most unfair manner to both him and his family as they are unable to mount any defence, more so when they are in such a traumatised state.

I know Raymond Koh and I can say he has never been involved in proselytisation. All that remains are unproven allegations, innuendoes and rumours.

Many of his pastor friends have already testified clearly Koh is a man of God, acting out of his conscience in obedience to his calling and special ministry to the uncared for, the fallen, the oppressed and those living at the outer margins of society such as single parents drug addicts, and those living with HIV/Aids. This, the authorities know full well.

After the notorious raid by Jais at the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) church some years ago, Koh and his wife, Susanna, were traumatised beyond description. Yet they decided to pick up their cross again to remain true to their calling.

All the authorities have to do now is not to be fixated on finding the needle in the proselytisation haystack but to quickly find Pastor Raymond Koh and bring him back. Alive.

BOB TEOH is a freelance columnist and formerly secretary-general of the Confederation of Asean Journalists (1985-87).

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.