Remember, Remember, The 5th Of November

On November 5th, 2025, Malaysia witnessed a historic moment when Judge Su Tiang Joo awarded over RM40 million in combined damages for two of the country's most notorious forced disappearance cases—Pastor Raymond Koh and Amri Che Mat. The Raymond Koh judgment alone included an extraordinary provision: RM10,000 per day since his abduction in February 2017 until he's found. These astronomical figures represent more than compensation; they're a judicial reckoning with a dark chapter in Malaysian history, where people vanished in broad daylight for their religious beliefs and activism. While the government will likely appeal and no one has been prosecuted, this judgment marks a turning point in how Malaysia confronts state impunity.

But beyond the legal victory lies a more profound question that Elizabeth Koh, Raymond's daughter, articulates with heartbreaking clarity: can we be proud to call ourselves Malaysian when such things happen in our country? This isn't just about two families or even four disappeared individuals—it's about the soul of a nation and whether Malaysia can evolve into a place where institutions act with honor, where trust can be rebuilt, and where the specter of enforced disappearance no longer haunts our collective consciousness. The cases of Raymond Koh, Amri Che Mat, Joshua Hilmy, Ruth Sitepu, and Pamela Ling represent more than individual tragedies; they're reflections of systemic failures that have driven countless young Malaysians to consider leaving their homeland.

Yet there's a thread of hope woven through this darkness. Judge Su's verdict proves that individual actions matter, that persistence pays off, and that even in a system riddled with impunity, justice can find a way forward. To those who perpetrated these disappearances, this video extends an unexpected invitation: the second-best time to do the right thing is now. And to everyone watching—whether you're a student, a CEO, a government official, or just someone who cares—this judgment has planted a seed. What it grows into depends on whether we choose to water it, to remember the fifth of November not as a day of tragedy, but as the beginning of a Malaysia we can finally be proud of.

Here are the SUHAKAM report links, as promised.

Raymond Koh: https://www.suhakam.org.my/wp-content...

Amri Che Mat:
https://www.suhakam.org.my/wp-content...

Joshua Hilmy and Ruth Sitepu: https://suhakam.org.my/wp-content/upl...




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