This follows the court’s decision allowing the government to regularise its appeal documents despite delays in filing.

Justice Azimah Omar, who chaired a three-member panel, said the delay would not prejudice the respondents, the Koh family, in the appeal. However, a date for the appeal hearing will be scheduled later.

Also on the panel were Justices Wong Kian Kheong and Ismail Brahim.

On Sept 24 last year, the High Court ordered the government to give Koh’s wife, Susanna Liew, a copy of the task force report on grounds that the report was relevant in her ongoing lawsuit against the government and the police over Koh’s disappearance.

The court said the government had failed to justify why the report was classified as a secret.

Liew sought access to the classified report on grounds that Koh’s family had the right to know the task force’s findings on his disappearance.

In 2020, she filed a lawsuit against the police, the inspector-general of police and a number of former high-ranking police officers over Koh’s disappearance.

Liew wants the authorities to be held liable for Koh’s unlawful abduction, and for misfeasance in public office. She is also seeking damages over his disappearance.

The lawsuit is fixed for decision on Nov 5, the same day as the verdict in another case involving missing activist Amri Che Mat, whose family is also suing the government and police.

Suhakam held a public inquiry into the disappearance of Koh and Amri between 2017 and 2019.

It concluded that both men were victims of enforced disappearances carried out by the state, specifically the Special Branch.

The home ministry later established a special task force to investigate Suhakam’s conclusion.