THE Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) public inquiry into missing activists was yesterday told that two people witnessed the abduction of Amri Che Mat in November 2016.

Perlis PKR chairman Faisol Abdul Rahman, who was the third witness in the inquiry into Amri’s disappearance, was asked by the panel to help locate the two.

Faisol, who will continue to give evidence today, is expected to update the panel if the two witnesses are prepared to come forward and give evidence.

Unlike the abduction of Pastor Raymond Koh, which was caught on video, there has been no information on Amri’s disappearance.

During the proceedings yesterday, the panel also heard from Amri’s close friend, Abdul Jamil Ahmad, that the activist sounded anxious the day before he went missing.

Jamil told the panel that Amri had often expressed concern that politicians from Umno were unhappy with his Perlis Hope charitable organisation.

He said they were not pleased with the fact that Amri was helping the poor, which made it seem that those in charge of the area were doing nothing.

Jamil said there was political involvement, but did not name any politician.

Amri was abducted 550m from his home in Padang Behor, Kangar. Police later found his car in Bukit Chabang.

The 43-year-old, who was part of the 1997 Malaysian Mount Everest expedition team, had reportedly told his eldest daughter that he was going out the night of his disappearance. He has four daughters, aged between 10 and 19.

In her police report, Amri’s wife, Norhayati Ariffin, said there had been unknown cars and motorcycles parked near their home the day her husband went missing.

The inquiry is chaired by commissioners Mah Weng Kwai, Aishah Bidin and Dr Nik Salida Suhaila Nik Saleh.

The panel aims to determine whether the abductions of Koh and Amri, as well as the disappearance of two others – Joshua and Ruth Hilmy – in 2016, were cases of enforced disappearance sanctioned by the state.

The Malaysian Insight brings you live updates of today’s proceedings.

4.35pm: Suhakam officers ask Anwar if the Perlis Mufti Department, mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Shahidan Kassim don’t like Amri.

Anwar said that he was not sure but there is a possibility (they are involved in Amri’s disappearance).

“Maybe those in high positions like Shahidan and Asri (are involved).”

Suhakam officers ask Anwar what was Amri’s reaction towards those who condemned Perlis Hope.

Anwar said that he never did anything and never clashed with anyone.

The inquiry ends and will resume on February 12.

4.20pm: Suhakam officers ask Anwar what he thinks of the investigation into Amri’s disappearance.

Anwar said that the police investigations were suspicious in the way it was conducted.

“The case was first in Perlis we were told it was transferred to Bukit Aman.

“But when we went there, they said that they don’t have the case.”

Anwar said police did not set up road blocks when Amri went missing.

“The (police) also did not put up Amri’s pictures at the border, and there was no police protection for his family when he went missing.”

3.55pm: The inquiry calls Anwar Ismail to the witness stand.

Suhakam officers ask Anwar how he knows Amri.

Anwar said that he has known Amri since they were children and they got closer about seven years ago.

“I joined Perlis Hope as a volunteer and now I’m the secretary.”

Suhakam officers ask if he suspects anyone is involved in Amri’s disappearance.

Anwar said he suspects those behind Amri’s disappearance have political or personal reasons.

“Amri was helping poor people in Arau and other places. So people were not happy with Perlis Hope.”

3.40pm: Police ask Yousri about the police report that he had lodged, and whether it is all true.

Yousri said it is not true, as some information he had told police is missing in the report.

Police observers ask if he is lying, to which Yousri admits that he had, but he repeated that certain parts of the report he had lodged were missing.

Police explain to the panel that a report cannot be altered.

“If there is any amendment, a new police report needs to he lodged with a new serial number.”

Aishah then ask Yousri if he was tired that day as he had to go back and forth to the police station.

“You had been working the whole day, and could it be that you were tired when they took your statement at 4am, and you missed out certain parts?”

Yousri said yes, agreeing that it could be the case.

3.30pm: Police observers ask Yousri about the vehicle that was found at the abandoned school.

Police said Yousri had told the panel that when he went to check on the car, the stickers and road tax were missing.

Police then ask Yousri if he had not seen the car before, how did he know that the items were missing.

Yousri did not answer the question. 

Police then ask Yousri about his earlier statement, in which he had said after the pickup left, he and other guards had gone up to the car.

“But, you told the panel later that you waited for police to arrive, and only then did you all go to the car.”

Yousri said he went to the vehicle with police.

Police observers ask if he wants to change his statement, to which he said yes.

3.10pm: Police observers ask Yousri about the distance he was standing from the vehicle, which was a pickup.

Yousri said he was 20m from the pickup.

Police ask what he saw in the vehicle.

Yousri said he saw a two-door pickup with the driver-side window down, and some people crouching at the back of the vehicle.

Police ask if he had a torchlight at the time, to which he said yes.

Police then ask what the colour of the vehicle was.

Yousri said it was a bright-coloured vehicle.

Police then ask if he had a torchlight and was close to the vehicle, why was he unable to identify the colour.

Yousri said he only knows that it was a bright-coloured vehicle. 

2.45pm: Mah asks how long the car had stayed at the pump house.

Yousri said the car was there for five minutes before it left.

Suhakam officers ask Yousri how long he had worked at the project site, to which he said two years.

Suhakam officers ask if the pump house was located at the project site where he had worked.

Yousri said it was not located at the site, but at the abandoned school.

Suhakam officers ask if a lot of vehicles entered the abandoned school.

Yousri said he had only seen Education Ministry vehicles entering the site.

2.30pm: Mah asks Yousri how many cars did he see exiting the project site.

Yousri said he saw only one car exiting, and could see only the headlights.

Mah asks how far was the distance between Yousri and the car that exited the site.

Yousri said the car was about 300m from the guard post.

Mah then ask if Yousri could see the people in the car from that distance, to which he said he saw some people bending down in the car.

1.10pm: Amri family lawyers then ask Yousri what did he do after that.

Yousri said he called the police at 12.35am and they arrived at 1am.

“I then went to the Padang Besar police station and lodged a report.”

At 3am, two police cars came, he said.

“Three police officers and five plainclothes came. They went to the pump house.

“I didn’t see what they did. At 4am, I went back to the police station and another officer questioned me.

“The next day, I went again to the police station at noon and met the investigating officer.”

Yousri said that was the last meeting with police.

The inquiry breaks for lunch.

12.45pm: The inquiry views a video of a project site next to the abandoned Bukit Gambang school where Amri’s car was found.

The fourth witness – a guard at the project site – Yousri Khalid was asked to point out the location of the car.

Yousri said at around 11.30pm to midnight on November 24, he saw a pick-up truck exiting the project site.

“Me and three other security guards working that day saw the truck exiting the project site and was speeding. 

“I saw three men in the car and some were bending down.”

Yousri and the other guards then went to the pump house and saw a Toyota Fortuner there. 

“Three windows were smashed. The road tax was missing and the number plates.” 

Amri family lawyers then ask if he saw the number plates to which he replied it was dark and he couldn’t see it.

The lawyers show Yousri a picture of Amri’s car and he said it is the same vehicle. 

12.15pm: Police observers ask Faisol about a posting on the Dr Maza Facebook page, which is controlled by Perlis mufti Asri.

Police ask Faisol if there is any mention of Shia in the posting.

Faisol said a post there urged people to be wary of Perlis Hope. 

Police ask again if there is any mention of Shia to which he replied “no”.

“But that’s my thinking… it looks like that (warning against Shia). 

12.10pm: Police observers ask Faisol if he knows that Amri has been a bankrupt since March 2008. 

“You said that he doesn’t have any financial problem?”

Faisol said Amri did not appear to have any financial problem. 

Police then ask if Norhayati’s sister is involved in Amri’s disappearance to which Faisol replied “no”. 

11.50am: Police observers ask Faisol if he knows if Amri is the subject of police investigations before he went missing. 

Faisol said that he doesn’t know. 

Police observers ask Faisol why are his and Amri’s names missing from the Perlis Hope list that appears is in the Registrar of Societies. 

He said they are only advisers to Perlis Hope.

11.30am: Police observers ask Faisol if he knows of any investigation on Amri before he went missing.

Faisol said he did not know of any investigation.

Police observers ask if Faisol has any thought on the meeting between the Perlis mufti and Amri after the raid on Perlis Hope.

Faisol said Amri was called because they thought that Perlis Hope was a Shia headquarters.

“I thought the meeting was about Perlis Hope and Shia.”

Police observers then ask him if the meeting was just a discussion to which he said “yes”.  

10.45am: Amri family lawyers ask Faisol what transpired before he went to Bukit Aman.

Faisol said that he got a WhatsApp message from his friend Anwar stating that case has been transferred to Bukit Aman.

“Anwar took a screen shot of the conversation between him and Inspector Khor.

“Anwar had asked about the status of Amri and Inspector Khor replied that he was asked to stop the investigations and hand it over to Bukit Aman.”

Suhakam officers ask Faisol did Amri feel targeted a year before he went missing.

Faisol said Amri felt he was a target after the Perlis Mufti Department’s raid.

“He was also concerned about Perlis mufti posting on Facebook that he had a meeting with Bukit Aman’s Awaludddin Jadid on Perlis Hope.

“I hope we get closer to what had happened to Amri.”

Commissioner Mah asks Faisol if there is any progress getting Syed Azahar.

Faisol said he will ask his friend Anwar who is closer to Syed Azahar to contact him.

Mah asked if Syed Azahar’s family are in Kangsar.

Faisol said “yes”.

The inquiry takes a 10-minute break. 

10.25am: Suhakam officers ask Faisol about those who have a bad impression of Perlis Hope. 

Faisol said it is because of the Perlis Islamic Department had levelled accusations against it.  

“They didn’t even call to discuss with us what are the issues.”

Suhakam officers ask how he knew that it was the Perlis Islamic Department.

Faisol said a letter was spread about Perlis Hope which was signed by Perlis Islamic Department director. 

“The letters were sent to schools to beware of Perlis Hope and Shia.”

Faisol said a teacher sent the letter to him. 

10.35am: Suhakam officers ask Faisol about his visit to Bukit Aman. 

He said they went to Bukit Aman to check on Amri’s status, whose case was transferred from Perlis to Bukit Aman. 

“We were told that they did not receive any file on Amri’s disappearance.”

Suhakam then asks Faisol if he gave Bukit Aman the contact of number of Perlis Inspector Khor, who said the case was in Bukit Aman. 

Faisol said he gave the number to an officer by the name of Pedro. 

“The officer then went away and started talking. We couldn’t hear the conversation. 

“Until today, there is no response from Bukit Aman.”

Suhakam officers ask how many times he contacted police to get updates on Amri’s case. 

Faisol said he contacted the police about 10 times. 

“I called them, went to police station and also had coffee with them.” 

10.10am: Suhakam officers ask Faisol if Amri has any financial problem, to which he replied “no”.   

Suhakam then asks Faisol if anyone threatened Amri because of his forex trading to which he also replied “no”. 

9.50am: Suhakam officers ask Faisol if Perlis Hope is involved in any religious activity.

Faisol said the volunteers are strictly told not to share their religious beliefs.

“There are Malays, Indians and Chinese volunteers here. There is no spreading of any religion.”

Suhakam officers ask Faisol about the letter that Perlis Islamic Department sent asking Perlis Hope to stop spreading Shia teachings. 

Faisol denied that Perlis Hope is spreading Shia teachings. 

9.40am: Suhakam officers ask if they had done any programme with government agencies.

Faisol said they held a bubur lambuk programme with the Perlis Health Department. 

“When we wanted to carry out the second programme to give out school bags and uniforms, the department asked us to cancel the programme. 

“When I asked why, they said ‘you should understand’.”

But Perlis Hope continued with the programmes, Faisol said.

“The Perlis mufti (Asri Zainul Abidin) made a statement on Perlis Hope and letters telling people to be wary of Perlis Hope were circulated.”

9.30am: Suhakam inquiry resumes with Faisol taking the witness stand. 

Suhakam officers ask Faisol about Perlis Hope website and what it is all about. 

Faisol said Perlis Hope is a non-profit organisation helping the poor, orphans, single mothers and those in need.

Suhakam officers ask if this is the mission of Perlis Hope to which he replied “yes”. – January 25, 2018.