Pastor Raymond Koh’s abduction in Malaysia: His wife’s nearly decade-long fight for justice, court triumph, and the quest to uncover the truth.

Raymond Koh, Susanna Liew, Malaysia abduction, enforced disappearance, Special Branch, human rights, justice, police accountability

Raymond Koh Abduction: The Unfolding Mystery and the Extraordinary Fight for Justice

By Tessa Wong, Asia Digital Reporter, Kuala Lumpur

An Historic Victory for Raymond Koh‘s Family

When Susanna Liew stood in front of Kuala Lumpur’s High Court cameras, she described it as a “historic and emotional milestone”. The 69-year-old shared that the Court’s judgment revealed what her family had always believed: Raymond Koh was a victim of a grave injustice. After nine years of anguish, a legal victory confirmed both the Malaysian police Special Branch and the government were responsible for the country’s first court-recognized enforced disappearance.

Snatched in broad daylight by masked men—a dramatic episode caught on CCTV—Pastor Koh’s story became one of Malaysia’s most gripping mysteries. Over the years, his wife transformed from a quiet pastor’s spouse into a relentless campaigner for the truth.

Though the exact motive may never be fully known, two independent official investigations concluded that authorities saw Pastor Koh as a threat to Malaysia’s majority religion, Islam.

“A voice inside me said…‘So they took him in secret—I will let the whole world know’,” Susanna recounted after her legal victory.

The Day of the Disappearance: CCTV Evidence

February 13, 2017: A Shocking Scene

On a quiet Kuala Lumpur morning, Pastor Raymond Koh left home, only to be ambushed by a convoy of SUVs and motorcycles. Eyewitnesses described the kidnapping as so well-choreographed that one thought it was a movie shoot. CCTV footage—later made public—showed masked men smashing his car’s window and forcing him into a waiting vehicle. No ransom note was ever received.

This chilling scene mirrored the abduction of Amri Che Mat, an activist, just months earlier. Both incidents were investigated by Malaysia’s human rights commission (SUHAKAM), shedding light on a broader pattern of enforced disappearances with suspected religious motivations.

Family Under Pressure

The ordeal took an enormous personal toll. After the kidnapping, Susanna Liew sold handcrafted jewelry to make ends meet and financed her daughter’s university education through savings and donations. Instead of support, her first police interview lasted hours, not about her missing husband but about whether he had attempted to convert Muslims—a trauma that would linger for years.

The Koh family always denied proselytizing claims and felt police theories were diversions from the truth. Years of uncertainty resulted in depression and post-traumatic stress for Susanna and her children.

The Breakthrough: A Confession and Crucial Clues

The Police Insider

In May 2018, an unexpected police sergeant’s midnight visit to Amri Che Mat’s wife confirmed suspicions: both Amri and Raymond Koh were victims of Special Branch abductions targeting alleged threats to Islam. The sergeant’s confession, later verified by SUHAKAM, revealed the deep-seated extremism within certain sections of the police.

The Mystery of the Gold-Coloured Car

A gold Toyota Vios, linked to both abductions and traced to a Special Branch officer, became a pivotal clue. SUHAKAM’s final report directly blamed the Special Branch and religious authorities for the disappearances, a conclusion echoed by a separate government investigation that named a Special Branch leader as a primary suspect.

For an in-depth understanding of enforced disappearances and human rights, see Amnesty International’s resources on enforced disappearances.

Courtroom Triumph—and Continuing Struggle

In 2020, Susanna Liew filed a civil suit against top police officers and the Malaysian government for Raymond Koh’s abduction. The High Court ruled in her favor, finding that public officials conspired in his disappearance and holding the state financially liable. The judge awarded millions of ringgit in compensation, with daily penalties accumulating until Koh’s whereabouts are disclosed—the largest payout of its kind in Malaysian history.

Despite this victory, the government is appealing the decisions, arguing over financial obligations while pledging continued police investigation. To date, none of the implicated police officers have faced criminal prosecution.

Frozen in Grief: An Unending Ordeal

The uncertainty weighs heavily: “It’s like we are frozen in grief and we can’t move on,” Susanna shared. The lack of closure—no body, no final answers—prolongs the family’s suffering and makes healing difficult. “If we know that he’s dead and have his body, at least we can bury him and we can move on. But right now, we are in a limbo.”

Over time, Susanna has sought healing by training to become a counselor herself and advocating worldwide against enforced disappearances. In 2020, her efforts were recognized globally as she received the International Women of Courage medal.

Forgiveness and the Ongoing Pursuit of Justice

Susanna says she has forgiven those she suspects were involved, though her quest for justice continues. “Forgiveness, however, does not mean stopping the pursuit of justice.” She now calls for the establishment of an independent oversight body for police conduct in Malaysia and a task force to find all involved in her husband’s case.

“What we really want is for the truth and justice to prevail,” she insists. “That means, we want to know where Pastor Raymond Koh is.”

Learn More

• To read about another major Malaysian abduction case, visit our enforced disappearances in Malaysia article.
• For more on human rights advocacy and international pressure, explore Human Rights Watch’s work in Malaysia.