Personal issues among three angles in pastor’s probe

GEORGE TOWN: Personal issues are one of three angles police are looking at in the abduction of Pastor Raymond Koh in Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said he "hopes the family will tell us what they have not told us".
He said another angle police were probing was on extremist elements and that "kidnap for ransom" was the third angle being investigated.
"There have been cases where the kidnappers have held the victim for months before contact," he said in response to questions on the lack of any ransom demand so far.
Khalid also told the public and media in no uncertain terms to stop speculating on Koh's abduction.
He said speculation on the case put the life of the pastor in danger and urged all "not to talk so much about it".
He said police should be left to do their work in investigating the incident and that candlelight vigils were not helping.
"To put it bluntly, shut up and let us do our work," he said at a press conference today.
Khalid said police were working on several leads in the effort to solve the case which has become the talk of the town, but did not elaborate.
Khalid also told people not to make unnecessary accusations when asked about speculation the abduction involved government personnel due to it being well executed.
He said criminals now were well organised and that they learned from movies and cited the Geng Satu Hati as an example.
"Criminals are very bold now, they have access to movies and television," he said.
Koh was abducted outside his house in Kelana Jaya, Selangor, three weeks ago by a group of masked men in broad daylight.
His situation and whereabouts are currently unknown while his family has put up a RM100,000 reward for any information on the matter.
Koh's wife, Susanna Liew Sow Yoke, has called on the public to stop speculating over the abduction of her husband.
She said while she appreciated the support shown by Malaysians since the abduction of her husband, it was only right that the police be given space in conducting their investigation into the kidnapping.
"As this is an active investigation, I ask for the public to please give the police space to conduct their work, without undue speculation or unverified allegations.
"Instead, I would like to ask you to include in your prayers, an appeal for God's help and guidance for our police in their investigations, so that truth and justice will prevail quickly," she said in a statement today.
Liew said she had, on Monday, met with ACP Fadzil Ahmat and the police task force set up to investigate the abduction, and has been assured that the police regarded the case as a priority despite no significant leads to date.
"I left this meeting feeling more reassured that the police are doing their best to find my husband," she said.
Liew said she had also met with Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Joseph Kurup on the same day, and was asked that family members have full confidence and to cooperate with the police.
Earlier, Khalid attended the opening of the International Drug Enforcement Conference Far East Regional Working Group Meeting with US ambassador to Malaysia Kamala Shirin Lakhdir and US Drug Enforcement Agency Far East regional director Jesse R. Fong.
In his speech, Khalid said Malaysia was going all out on drugs this year to eradicate Nigerian drug syndicates operating in the country.
For 2016, Khalid said police dismantled the first ketamine lab in the country and seized RM16.1 million worth of the illicit drug.
He said police also crippled 20 drug syndicates and made 130 arrests to combat the drug menace.