Pastor Koh's family to receive classified report on enforced disappearance

The civil court has ordered the police and government to hand over the classified report on Pastor Raymond Koh’s enforced disappearance to his family.

The victim’s wife, Susanna Liew, sought the special task force (STF) report to strengthen her lawsuit against the authorities over the abduction which occurred seven years ago.

The Kuala Lumpur High Court today allowed the family’s discovery application over the document classified under the Official Secrets Act 1972.

In 2019, Suhakam concluded that Koh’s abduction was an enforced disappearance perpetrated by Bukit Aman’s Special Branch.

Liew, 67, subsequently launched the ongoing civil action for disclosure of the whereabouts of Koh (above), 68, who disappeared on Feb 13, 2017.

In the course of the suit, the Home Ministry set up the STF to look into and compile a report on the enforced disappearance.

However, the authorities classified it despite calls by human rights groups to reveal its contents to the public.

Liew to get report within three days

Judge Su Tiang Joo this morning ruled that the STF report is a public document that can help the civil court hear the suit.

“While not binding, the Suhakam and STF inquiry and recollection (of witnesses) on what was seen and felt (over Koh’s disappearance) would be useful as they are contemporaneous (testimony) in time.

“The findings there may be persuasive,” Su said.

The judge noted that the STF report is a public document as the inquiry leading to its making involved public funds.

Su then ordered the authorities to hand over copies of the report to Liew within three days.

The judge also allowed Liew and her lawyers to make copies of the report to be used as evidence in the ongoing suit.

Previously, the authorities’ legal representatives from the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) objected to the STF report disclosure on the grounds that it was an OSA document.

The AGC also contended that neither the Suhakam nor STF findings are binding on the civil suit.

Lawyer Jerald Gomez heads Liew’s legal team.

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