PETALING JAYA: A lawyer in the Special Task Force to review Suhakam's report into the disappearances of Pastor Raymond Koh and Amri Che Mat will appear as a witness before the High Court.
Datuk Roger Tan Kor Mee will appear before the court on Oct 22 and 23 in a civil suit initiated by Koh's family.
"I confirm my attendance at the proceedings as a witness, as required by the subpoena, and will fully cooperate with what is required under the law," he said in a press statement on Sunday (Oct 20).
He said that he had received a subpoena from the plaintiffs' solicitors on Oct 7, and affirmed his involvement in the Special Task Force to review Suhakam’s report about Koh’s disappearance.
“I understand from media reports that a copy of our report titled "Laporan Pasukan Khas bagi Kehilangan Amri Che Mat dan Pastor Raymond Koh" (Special Task Force’s Report on the Disappearance of Amri Che Mat and Pastor Raymond Koh), dated March 13, 2020, had been submitted to court,” he said.
He added that he has instructed his counsel from Messrs AmberBon to apply to the court to hold a watching brief for him.
He noted that beside himself, Datuk Abdul Rahim Uda, Datuk Zamri Yahya, Datuk Muhammad Bukhari Ab Hamid, Mohd Sophian Zakaria and Azian Umar, were also part of the Special Task Force.
Besides Tan, it was reported that the plaintiff's counsel has also subpoenaed two other task force members, Abdul Rahim and Zamri, to testify in court.
However, the Attorney General's Chambers was unable to secure their attendance.
In 2019, Suhakam released a report concluding that Koh and social activist Amri Che Mat were victims of enforced disappearance by the state, namely the Special Branch of the police.
The government then formed a special task force to publish a report with the findings of its investigations within six months about the two men’s whereabouts.
The report by the Special Task Force was not released to the public as it was considered classified.
It was previously reported in August that the High Court ordered the government to provide Koh's wife, Susanna Liew, access to the report.
In 2021, Koh’s family filed a civil suit against 13 defendants, including two former Inspector-Generals of Police, the Royal Malaysia Police and the government of Malaysia.
Liew said that she had no choice but to turn to the courts for justice and truth in her husband’s case.
Koh was abducted by masked men on Jalan SS4B/10 in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, on Feb 13, 2017, and Amri Che Mat disappeared on Nov 24, 2016, after leaving his home in Kangar, Perlis.
