Cops investigating possible link between pastor's abduction and 2011 death threat

Raymond Koh.

AMPANG JAYA: Police are investigating a possible link between the abduction of pastor Raymond Koh Keng Joo (pic) and a death threat he received in 2011.

Selangor police chief Comm Datuk Seri Abdul Samah Mat said police had earlier conducted a separate investigation into the bullet incident, which he described was a message of "threat" to the missing pastor.

Six years ago, Koh received a bullet that was sent to his home, revealed a close friend.

Koh then lodged a police report about the death threat, which happened after the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) conducted a raid on a thanksgiving and fund-raising dinner organised by Harapan Komuniti.

The community centre in Taman Sri Manja was set up by Koh in 2004 to help single mothers, drug addicts and those with HIV/ AIDS, and also served as a place for children to learn English, have free tuition, or do their homework.

Koh, 62, was abducted on Feb 13 by a group of masked men at Jalan SS4B/10, Petaling Jaya, less than 100m from a police housing complex.

He was driving a silver Honda Accord bearing the licence plate ST 5515 D and wearing a beige polo shirt and dark grey pants.

Comm Abdul Samah said police did not rule out the possibility that the two cases were connected.

He added that a special task force headed by Selangor CID chief Senior Asst Comm Fadzil Ahmat has been set up to locate Koh and secure his safe release.

"Investigations are in progress. We have some leads which I cannot announce now.

"We are giving priority to this case," he said on Saturday.

Comm Abdul Samah said so far no calls have not been received for a ransom demand.

When asked if police had obtained closed circuit television footage of the routes used by Koh before the alleged crime, Comm Abdul Samah said that this was "part of the investigation process".

He declined to divulge more details on the investigation.

Earlier, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said police had recorded statements from eight witnesses over the case.