Referring to the Free Malaysia Today publication dated March 7, 2017 under the headline ‘IGP: Pastor Koh abduction may be over personal issues’, where the IGP shared three theories that the police were working on. Referring to my earlier letter, any right-thinking rational Malaysian will come to the very natural conclusion that Theory 1 and 3 are not worth considering, and if anything, a distraction to the entire investigation.
This will mean of all our dear IGP’s postulations and theories, which he himself said to the media and to the best of my knowledge, have not been corrected, retracted or denied, he is left only with Theory 2 - That Pastor Raymond’s Koh’s very professionally executed under-60 seconds abduction on Monday Feb 13, 2017 could be the work of ‘extremist elements’.
Now with his most recent statement as reported in the media - quote: “The police have no lead on the abduction of Pastor Raymond Koh Keng Joo, inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar confirmed today.”
The question that begs to be asked is this.
As a simple right-thinking rational Malaysian would I then be right to conclude that the police after a very thorough and comprehensive investigation (after all they have had 35 days with a special task force fully committed to this investigation and with all the resources of the state at their disposal, not forgetting the actual kidnapping video to boot) have excluded any possibility of ‘extremist elements’ being behind the abduction of Pastor Raymond Koh and that there is no truth or credence to this Theory 2 at all.
Dear IGP, is this what you are trying to convey to the Malaysian public with your most recent statement about being “clueless”. We know that there are ‘extremist elements’ even within your own police force and possibly other government departments that have been reported in the news.
If this is so, how can you confidently exclude the ‘extremist elements’, not forgetting their entrenched ‘sympathisers’ within possibly perhaps your very own ranks and other government agencies. Have you considered and excluded that possibility or scenario?
Instead of blaming the great amount of publicity and media coverage over this one case, can we see it in a more positive light?
‘Pastor Raymond’s face is now very well-known’
That whoever his abductors are and for whatever reason (no plausible motive till now except perhaps for his charitable work among the poor for which he has been ‘disturbed’ in the past) they carried out their drastic act on a peace-loving ‘man of the cloth’ and because of the immense publicity, his captors are not as free to move him around as Pastor Raymond’s face is now very well-known.
Also any black SUV now on the road deserves a second look.
That even if his abductors initially planned to harm Pastor Raymond, thinking he’s just a ‘nobody’ and easily forgotten in just a few days, with the large amount of media coverage generated they (and whoever is the mastermind behind the abduction) had better think twice or even three times knowing full well that there are many concerned Malaysians standing up for him and even international organisations and media are taking an keen interest in Pastor Raymond’s kidnapping and welfare.
It’s all a matter of perspective and I wish our dear IGP will take the time to walk across the road and see/hear/feel what normal Malaysians are saying about this case.
Lastly, it is utterly irresponsible and nonsensical to ask the public to “shut-up” and “not to speculate”. We are all human beings who have a God-given mind to think and reason and a God-given heart to feel especially for the family.
We will use all of our God-given senses to reflect and comprehend what has happened on one of our streets, in broad daylight, in the most developed state of Selangor and then come to our very own conclusion which we then share and discuss with our family, neighbours, colleagues and friends.
Mr IGP, we are not your Year 1 or Kindergarten children whom you can order into submission. I am informed by a journalist friend that there may be some part of the news media that may have taken your advice to “shut up and don’t speculate”. I am given to understand that the Bahasa Malaysia print media and news - that apparently there is a total blackout regarding the abduction of Pastor Raymond Koh.
As I do not personally read the BM news media, I stand to be corrected on this.
Generally we are all loyal tax-paying citizens of Malaysia who love this nation and the people that make up this nation. Incidentally we contribute towards your salary as well as the salary of everyone in the Police Department.
Lastly just a reminder why people speculate :
People speculate in the absence of facts,
People speculate in the absence of perceived truth and
People speculate in the absence of tangible results.
If you desire thinking, rational, educated Malaysians to stop speculating, you know what you and your police force need to do or possibly not do.
In the meantime, while waiting for our law enforcement agencies to do what only they can do, we continue to hope and pray for a miracle for Pastor Raymond to be released unharmed and be reunited with his family. For that miracle we look not to man but to Almighty God.
By Fellow Malaysian Pastor (Letter in Malaysiakini)
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