Missing pastor’s wife pours her heart out at candlelight vigil

PETALING JAYA: The strain of not knowing the whereabouts and safety of Pastor Raymond Koh has taken its toll on his family. Despite the uncertainty confronting them, they are not giving up hope of finding him.
The missing pastor's wife, Susanna Liew, poured her heart out in expressing her gratitude to those who gathered at the Kelana Jaya Lake for a candlelight vigil last night.
Liew's mother passed away two days ago. "I lost my mother two days ago, and bade farewell to her this morning at her funeral," she said. "I feel Raymond's absence so acutely that it is a struggle to stand here and address you.
"My family and I are very touched by your presence and the immense support we have received since my husband Raymond Koh was abducted on Feb 13 less than a mile from here.
"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, his counsel."
Liew described Koh as a humble and selfless person with a modest approach. He has never courted publicity or praise, she said.
"If he were here right now, Raymond would be talking to you about the need to help those who are poor, vulnerable, marginalised or defenceless.
"In 2004, Raymond left his religious ministry as a pastor to instead focus on secular charity work because he felt a deep sense of obligation to the poor.
What you may not know is that my husband's origins are very humble. He came from a large family of modest means.
"As a child, he lived with his parents and 8 other brothers and sisters in a two-room kampung house in Johor."
Liew said this was that motivated him as a man of faith who didn't pick or choose whom he helped.
"He founded Harapan Komuniti as a non-profit undertaking that supported this unconditional stand to not discriminate who should or should not receive assistance and support," she said.
Describing her husband's abduction as unprecedented in the country, she said he was abducted in a 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," said Liew.
"Yes, I want to know where my husband is. I want to know if he is alive or not. I want to know who is responsible for this. I want to know why it is so difficult to identify and apprehend those responsible. Yes, we want answers. Yes, we call for justice. Yes, we are frustrated by 35 days of silence."