NOTHING much has been achieved a year after the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia began its inquiry into four missing persons, due to unreachable witnesses and lack of police cooperation, said the wife of Perlis activist Amri Che Mat.

Housewife Norhayati Ariffin sat through the months-long inquiry into her husband’s disappearance and was dishearted when the inquiry was called off last month without unearthing much information about what had happened to Amri.

She told The Malaysian Insight that   as far as she was concerned, the inquiry was not over until two crucial witnesses were found to testify.

“I still believe that the authorities are involved because the two witnesses are still missing,” she said.

“I hope the two will be found so that Suhakam can reopen the inquiry.” 

The two witnesses are Saiful Bahari and Saiful Afdzan.

The police said that they could not locate Saiful Bahari, whose presence at the inquiry is important as his car, a gold Toyota Vios, was allegedly seen near the spot where Amri was abducted.

The inquiry heard previously that Saiful Bahari had been missing from work since November last year and could not be contacted.

The second witness, Saiful Afdzan, is the owner of the Mak Lang restaurant in Perlis. He has refused to attend the hearing on the grounds he could not take time off work or business would suffer.

The panel had heard that Saiful Afdzan allegedly saw the abduction that occurred across his restaurant.

Last month, Suhakam commissioner Mah Weng Kwai said the panel had unanimously decided to close the inquiry into Amri’s disappearance due to time constraints.

He said the inquiry had gone on for a year and the panel’s term would end in April next year.

“We must get on with submissions as we need time to come up with a decision.”

Norhayati said it was not over yet and Suhakam must reopen the case if the witnesses were found.

“If they don’t show up then I believe they (the authorities) are hiding evidence. We hope the police can locate them.”  

The inquiry into Amri’s disappearance saw 24 witnesses testify.

Amri had been under police investigation and surveillance for allegedly spreading Shia teachings when vanished.

Amri, who co-founded a civil society group called Perlis Hope, went missing on November 24, 2016. He was last seen in Kampung Padang Behor, some 500m from his house in Bukit Chabang, Perlis.

He is believed to have been abducted by a group of people in four-wheel drive vehicles.

Suhakam is also conducting inquiries into the disappearances of Pastor Raymond Koh and Pastor Joshua Hilmy and his wife, Ruth, to ascertain if they are cases of enforced disappearance.

Koh was abducted in Petaling Jaya last year by about 15 men in three black SUVs. The abduction, which took place during the day, was said to be well-coordinated.

Police have charged one suspect with Koh’s abduction but the family have questioned if they have got the right man.

Like Norhayati, Koh’s wife, Susanna Liew, has also failed to find closure through the Suhakam inquiry.

She, too, had said that she suspected the authorities of covering up her husband’s abduction.

The inquiry into missing couple Joshua and Ruth is up next.

Upon its conclusion, police and lawyers will make their submissions to the panel which would then prepare a report to be presented to Parliament for further action.– November 11, 2018.