KUALA LUMPUR (April 3): The Malaysian Bar has welcomed the government's decision to withdraw its appeal against a court decision to grant Pastor Raymond Koh’s family access to a classified report on his disappearance.

Its president Anand Raj, in a statement on Friday, noted that it has been seven years since the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) issued its final decision on the public inquiry into Koh’s disappearance.

"Suhakam found that this was a case of enforced disappearance by state actors," noted Anand.

Enforced disappearance, he said, violate practically every article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The lawyers' association had at its annual general meeting on March 14 unanimously adopted a resolution condemning enforced disappearances as a "grave violation of fundamental human rights that causes lasting and unjust harm to victims and their families".

On April 1, the government withdrew its appeal against the High Court ruling which granted Koh's family access to the Cabinet Special Task Force report on his enforced disappearance. Following this, the Court of Appeal awarded RM15,000 in costs to Koh's family.  

The suit was filed by Koh’s wife, Susanna Liew, against the police and the government over her husband’s disappearance and the authorities’ handling of the investigation.

Koh was reported to have been abducted by a group of masked men while driving in Kelana Jaya on Feb 13, 2017.

Anand, in his statement, said the Malaysian Bar had in its resolution urged the government to "take immediate and concrete steps to fully, transparently and effectively investigate" the enforced disappearances of Koh and three other individuals, Amri Che Mat, Joshua Hilmy and Ruth Sitepu.

The association called on the government to "disclose the truth regarding their fate and whereabouts, to ensure accountability of all those responsible, and to provide their families with access to truth, justice and effective remedies".

It also urged the government to accede to the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, and enact laws to criminalise enforced disappearances in accordance with international standards.

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