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Raymond-Koh-main_article_image.jpg
Open Doors International
World News

Action urged in case of missing Malaysian pastor

According to Open Doors, a charity that serves the persecuted church, the whereabouts of Raymond Koh are still unknown despite a Human Rights Commission.

On 13 February 2017, Koh was abducted with a military precision that implied a coordinated attack by trained individuals.

In the attack, which was caught on CCTV, at least ten men in black SUVs blocked a major road during broad daylight, bundled Raymond out of his car and abducted him in under a minute. He has not been seen since.

The charity is urging the Malaysian Government to step up efforts to locate Pastor Koh and three other individuals who they say went missing around the same time. Christian husband and wife, Joshua Hilmy and Ruth Sitepu, were last seen in November 2016 and a Shia Muslim activist, Amri Che Mat, was abducted in a professional operation very similar to that of Raymond Koh, also in November 2016.

Zoe Smith, Head of Advocacy at Open Doors, said, "The facts of this case are utterly outrageous. We urge the new Malaysian government to expose the truth behind these abductions and to root out the corruption which allegedly led to their disappearances."

A whistleblower has claimed that Raymond Koh was targeted for having a minority faith and that the abduction was carried out with the full knowledge and approval of the then Inspector General of Police, Khalid Abu Bakar.

A Human Rights Commission into the disappearance concluded 7 December 2018. The Commission's response is expected in March 2019.

Malaysia is number 42 on the Open Doors World Watch List.

The charity says pressure on Christians is intensifying as the government and Islamic pressure groups increase their efforts to side line the Christian minority.

Ethnic Malays are considered to be Muslims, and the constitution prevents Malays from converting to other religions.

Churches are monitored by the government and itt is illegal to share the gospel with Malay Muslims.

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