‘I MISS COMFORT
Wife shares her anguish, thanks public for support and prayers
BEATRICE NITA JAY KUALA LUMPUR news@nst.com.my
IN a heart-wrenching statement, Susanna Liew, the wife of missing pastor Raymond Koh Keng Joo, thanked the public for their continuous support and prayers.
She said the show of sympathy and solidarity had made the family strong as they did not feel alone and abandoned.
Liew said the absence of her husband had been greatly felt.
Koh was abducted from his car by a group of men in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, on Feb 13.
Closed-circuit television camera footage, believed to be of the incident, had shown men in three black sports utility vehicles involved in the abduction.
“My husband has been missing from my life for 35 days now. This is the first time since we got married that I have been this long without his companionship, his advice, his love, his help and his counsel.
“Most of all, I miss the calm comfort of his presence and partnership. I lost my mother two days ago, and bade farewell to her this morning at her funeral.
“This weekend, I feel Raymond’s absence so acutely that it is a struggle to stand here and address you,” she said in a statement released two days ago.
She urged the public not to succumb to despair and hate, as the reason that had brought all of them together had been that of peace, love and hope.
Liew said Koh’s abduction was unprecedented in Malaysia.
“Until he was abducted in this shockingly bold and professionally ‘expert’ fashion, we have never seen this kind of criminal violence against a man of faith, known for his charity work.
“This is why so many Malaysians gathered at candlelight vigils to pray for his safe return and for justice to prevail against those responsible.”
Two days ago, a candlelight vigil was held in Kelana Jaya and some 200 people attended. It was the second vigil held for Koh’s release and safe return.
Liew said Koh left his religious ministry as a pastor to focus on a secular charity work called Harapan Komuniti because he felt a deep sense of obligation to help the poor.
She described him as the root of Harapan Komuniti’s beginnings, a non-profit organisation that supported his stand of never discriminating who should or should not receive assistance and support.
“While he is highly principled, he has always been generous and suspects, comprising 12 Malaysians and six Indonesians.
“The suspects were arrested in Johor Baru and Batam. non-confrontational when it comes to dealing with criticism or attacks from others.
“His approach has always been for peaceful dialogue and sharing.”
“The family of the victim was cooperative and we managed to keep everything under the media’s radar.”