KOTA KINABALU (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK, BERNAMA) - Malaysia's Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar on Monday (April 17) asked why social activist Peter Chong did not share information he had on Pastor Raymond Koh, who was abducted in February, with the authorities.
"If he really had information on the missing pastor, why didn't he inform us? Why did he go there (southern Thailand) to look for the information by himself without telling anyone, including his family members? Is he an investigator?"
Mr Chong, 54, himself was reported missing on April 5. He returned to Malaysia on Sunday, claiming he had gone to Hat Yai in Thailand to investigate Mr Koh's disappearance and that he was abducted while gathering information.
Tan Sri Khalid said the police will not be opening an investigation on the former municipal councillor's claim that he was abducted.
"We heard that he had lodged a report claiming he was abducted when he reached Thailand," he said, adding that Mr Chong did not tell police he was abducted. He also said police will record a statement from Mr Chong to verify his claims.
Meanwhile, Hat Yai's police chief, Colonel Kittichai Sankatavorn, on Monday said there has been no report on Mr Chong's claims that he was kidnapped in the town and taken to Pattaya.
Mr Chong disappeared not long after posting on his Facebook page that he had been warned by a young motorcyclist to be careful because many people were going missing.
Before his reappearance, Mr Chong was one of five "missing" Malaysians who had sparked public concern amid speculation that they were kidnapped, possibly by Muslim vigilantes.
Mr Koh's disappearance is the only one among them to be classified by the police as an abduction. CCTV footage believed to be of his abduction shows Mr Koh, 62, being taken from his car in broad daylight by at least 15 men in three black SUVs in what appeared to be a professionally executed operation.
The other missing persons are two pastors - Mr Joshua Hilmy and his wife, Ruth - and Perlis Hope charity founder Amri Che Mat.
