This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on April 4, 2019

KUALA LUMPUR: Former home minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said he had not issued any directive to abduct Pastor Raymond Koh and social activist Amri Che Mat while he was in office.

Neither the home ministry’s secretary-general Datuk Seri Alwi Ibrahim nor he had issued such a directive, Ahmad Zahid said at the Parliament lobby yesterday.

“No such directive was given by me or the secretary-general. I hope the investigation will be carried out professionally,” he said.

“We must respect the police and its institution and in this case, any investigation that has to be carried out must be undertaken professionally,” he added.

Earlier yesterday, the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) said its public inquiry into the abduction found that Koh and Amri were victims of an enforced disappearance by the Special Branch.

“The panel is of the considered view that the enforced disappearance of Amri Che Mat was carried out by agents of the state, namely, the Special Branch, Bukit Aman, Kuala Lumpur, within the definition of the first limb of Article 2 of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICPPED),” the Suhakam report said.

The three-member panel of inquiry was headed by Suhakam commissioner Datuk Mah Weng Kwai. The others were Suhakam commissioners Prof Datuk Aishah Bidin and Dr Nik Salida Sulaiha Nik Salleh.

The inquiry reached a similar conclusion about Koh.

“The direct and circumstantial evidence in Koh’s case proves, on a balance of probabilities, that he was abducted by state agents, namely, the Special Branch, Bukit Aman, Kuala Lumpur,” the report said.

In a press statement, Klang MP Charles Santiago called for the outgoing Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun and all officers implicated in the cases to be investigated for covering them up.

“These kidnappings have raised fears of religious vigilantism in the country,” he said, as Koh was suspected of attempting to convert Muslims to Christianity, while Amri was accused of spreading Shia teachings, which was denied by his wife.