The Kuala Lumpur High Court has ordered the government and police to pay RM37 million to the family of Pastor Raymond Koh, who was abducted in 2017, in a landmark ruling that underscores accountability for enforced disappearances.
Pastor Koh left his home in Petaling Jaya on February 13, 2017, at 10:15 am. Within half an hour, CCTV footage showed his car being surrounded by three vehicles along Jalan SS4B/10 in Kelana Jaya. Koh was forcibly removed from his car in an abduction that lasted less than a minute, involving coordinated actions by trained personnel.
Following the abduction, the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) launched an investigation, announcing a public inquiry into Koh’s disappearance on August 9, 2017, alongside three other missing individuals. Despite a temporary suspension in January 2018 due to a separate police investigation, the inquiry resumed and concluded on December 7, 2018, finding that Koh’s disappearance was an “enforced disappearance” carried out by members of the police Special Branch.
Further investigations identified Saiful Bahari Abd Aziz, a contract worker linked to Bukit Aman’s Special Branch, as a key suspect, with his vehicle seen near Koh’s abduction site and another high-profile disappearance.
Judge Datuk Su Tiang Joo ruled that the government and police were liable for negligence, misfeasance of public office, breach of statutory duty, and violation of fundamental liberties. The court ordered RM10,000 per day in damages to Koh’s family from the day of his abduction until his whereabouts are disclosed, amounting to over RM31 million for 3,187 days. An additional RM6 million in exemplary and aggravated damages was also awarded, bringing the total to RM37 million.
Pastor Raymond Koh’s whereabouts remain unknown, but the court ruling sends a strong message about state accountability and the seriousness of enforced disappearances in Malaysia.
