Thai Muslim group detained me: Activist

KUALA LUMPUR: Social activist Peter Chong, who was reported missing in April, claimed that he was detained for a week in a room in southern Thailand by a group of young Muslims.

Testifying as a witness on the 7th day of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia’s (Suhakam) inquiry, Chong said the group had earlier promised him information on Pastor Raymond Koh’s disappearance.

Chong said he decided to travel to Hatyai on April 6 after he was convinced that the group might hold valuable information on Koh, following an earlier exchange of WhatsApp messages with one of the men known only as “Amir”.

Upon reaching Hatyai, he said he was then taken to a room, where he was questioned by two men with a “heavy northern Malay accent”.

“The two gentlemen claimed to belong to a group of young Muslims who were out to promote Islam. I found that it was nothing wrong. In fact it was a good thing. They then said they disagreed with the abduction of Pastor Koh. They were saying that it did not help in promoting Islam (but) rather it sent a negative message.

“They believed if Koh had converted Muslims, he should be brought to court. They said there is a law (for apostasy), and I agreed with them,” he told the threepanel inquiry chaired by Suhakam commissioner Datuk Mah Weng Kwai.

Commissioners Prof Datuk Dr Aishah Bidin and Dr Nik Salida Suhaila Nik Salleh also sat as panellists at the inquiry on the disappearance of Koh, social activist Amri Che Mat and Pastor Joshua Hilmi and his wife, Ruth.