Harapan MPs warn appealing Koh, Amri cases risks public trust
Petaling Jaya MP Lee Chean Chung cautioned that the Attorney-General’s Chambers’ (AGC) appeal against the verdicts could impact public trust in a government which champions “compassion, respect, and trust”.
“The court’s decision reflects...
Summary
Two Harapan MPs urged the government to drop its appeal against High Court rulings that found police liable for the disappearances of Raymond Koh and Amri Che Mat.
Lee Chean Chung warned the appeal could undermine public trust, while Teresa Kok urged the Home Ministry and police to accept the court’s decision.
Two Pakatan Harapan backbenchers have joined those urging the government to reconsider appealing the High Court rulings that held Putrajaya and the police liable for the disappearances of Pastor Raymond Koh and social activist Amri Che Mat.
Petaling Jaya MP Lee Chean Chung cautioned that the Attorney-General’s Chambers’ (AGC) appeal against the verdicts could impact public trust in a government which champions “compassion, respect, and trust”.
“The court’s decision reflects precisely these values, acknowledging the deep anguish of the victims’ families.
“Conversely, the decision to appeal risks undermining public confidence in the very ideals the government has pledged to uphold,” Lee (above) said in a statement today.
Highlighting that the world is also watching closely to see how the Malaysian government will respond to the matter, the PKR backbencher expressed hope that Putrajaya will act with “conscience, integrity, and respect for justice.”
“This judgment sets an important legal and moral precedent, signalling that Malaysian courts are now willing to attach a tangible cost to state inaction and silence - a step forward in strengthening human rights jurisprudence and institutional accountability.
“It also reinforces the principle that authorities bear both a legal and moral duty to investigate such grave violations with diligence, urgency, and transparency,” Lee added.
Meanwhile, Seputeh MP Teresa Kok urged the Home Ministry and the police to abide by the High Court’s decision and cease further attempts to cover up the enforced disappearances.
She also expressed regret over the AGC’s statement that the court had erred, which she claimed was done without a comprehensive and serious study of the court’s decision.
“Enforced disappearances are a serious human rights violation. The Madani government should condemn such police misconduct and ensure it does not happen again,” said the DAP parliamentarian and former minister.
Previously, former Suaram director Kua Kia Soong described the AGC’s move to appeal the court rulings as an “act that can only be seen as protecting institutional impunity.”
The condemnation came after Attorney-General (AG) Dusuki Mokhtar told Malaysiakini that the AGC will appeal the ruling, asserting that the Kuala Lumpur High Court had erred in its judgment concerning Koh and Amri’s cases.
He added that the AGC will also seek a stay of the order requiring the government to pay Koh’s family RM10,000 per day for every day he remains missing.
Damages awarded
On Nov 5, High Court judge Su Tiang Joo found the government and police liable for the disappearances of Koh and Amri.
In both cases, he ordered the police to reopen investigations and submit progress reports to the AGC every two months.
He awarded Amri’s wife, Norhayati Ariffin, RM3 million in damages, comprising RM2 million in general damages and RM1 million in exemplary damages, as well as RM14,457.52 in special damages and RM250,000 in costs.
Separately, Su directed the government to pay RM10,000 per day to Koh through a trust account until the pastor is found, with the payments to be calculated from Feb 13, 2017 - which is 3,189 days as of Nov 5, 2025 - when Koh was abducted.
The court also awarded RM4 million in damages to Koh, alongside RM1 million in aggravated damages for the prolonged delay in locating him and another RM1 million for unconstitutional acts by the defendants.
Koh’s wife, Susanna Liew, the second plaintiff in the suit, was granted RM2 million in general and aggravated damages for mental distress, plus RM1 million in exemplary damages.
Enforced disappearance
Amri, an alleged Shia follower and proselytiser, vanished on Nov 24, 2016, in Kangar, Perlis. His wife had testified that on May 12, 2018, a Special Branch officer from Perlis, Shamzaini Daud, told her the division was responsible for the abduction.
Koh, 62, was abducted in broad daylight along Jalan SS4B/10 in Petaling Jaya while driving to a friend’s house. CCTV footage believed to have captured the incident showed at least 15 men and three black SUVs involved in the operation.
In 2019, Suhakam concluded that both Koh and Amri were victims of enforced disappearance carried out by Special Branch members from Bukit Aman.
