Police to contact Thai authorities over ex-councillor, activist’s abduction claim, says IGP

KOTA KINABALU: The police will contact the Thailand authorities to investigate the former Petaling Jaya councillor and activist Peter Chong’s claim that he was abducted in Hadyai, Thailand recently.

Inspector General of Police ( IGP) Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said the kidnapping claim seemed to be untrue, but the police would obtain the information from the Thailand police.

“I am perplexed as to why he ( Chong) went there ( Thailand) to investigate the missing Pastor ( Raymond Koh) without informing us.

“If he has the information on missing Pastor Koh, why not share with us? Why go there alone?

“He did not even inform his family and children. He has caused panic in the country as there were non- governmental organisations ( NGOs) who claimed that he was abducted,” Khalid said when asked by the media after delivering his keynote speech during the CEO@ Faculty programme in Universiti Malaysia Sabah ( UMS) here yesterday.

Chong, who was reported missing on April 6, arrived safely at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Sunday afternoon.

Chong had told local police that he had travelled to Thailand to meet someone with information on Koh’s disappearance.

According to Chong, he had gone to Hadyai with the intention of meeting his source who would reveal more information on the disappearance of Koh.

Upon reaching Hadyai, Chong claimed to be kidnapped there and brought to Pattaya. Upon release, he contacted his son who bought his return ticket.

Asked on the latest development of Koh, Khalid said the police were still investigating the disappearance of the Pastor under missing person’s case.

“We have our protocol and SOP ( Standard Operating Procedure) in investigating missing person. We will continue our investigation.”

Also present at the event were Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Ramli Din and UMS Vice Chancellor Professor Datuk Dr Mohd Harun Abdullah.