THE Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) public inquiry into missing activist Amri Che Mat resumes today, with the activist’s wife still in the stand.

Norhayati Ariffin, who was the first witness called to testify yesterday, caused a stir in her earlier testimony that she suspects Perlis religious authorities, state mufti Mohamad Asri Zainul Abidin and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Shahidan Kassim of being responsible for her husband’s disappearance.

She told the panel that the two had condemned Perlis Hope, an organisation set up by her husband, to help the poor in the state.

Asri also warned the people to be wary about Perlis Hope, which he said was connected to violence.

Shahidan and Asri have denied any knowledge of Amri’s disappearance.

Asri also accused Norhayati of lying in the public inquiry, claiming that Amri had confessed that he was involved in Shia teachings in the state.

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 that night. He has four daughters, aged between 10 and 19.

In her police report, Norhayati said there had been unknown cars and motorcycles parked near their home the day the activist went missing.

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

The panel aims to determine whether Pastor Raymond Koh and Amri’s abduction, as well as the disappearance of two others – Joshua and Ruth Hilmy – in 2016, are cases of enforced disappearance sanctioned by the state.

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

4.40pm: Mah asked Suhakam officers if they had subpoenaed Syed Azahar. 

Suhakam officers said they tried but were unable to get a response.

Mah asked Faisol if he could call Syed Azahar and ask him to give his testimony at the inquiry. 

Faisol said he will contact Syed Azahar and see. 

Mah told Faisol it is safe for Syed Azahar to give evidence. Mah asked the police observers to also help trace the witness. 

Mah asked Faisol to contact another witness Saiful Hafdzan, who has claimed to have seen the abduction. 

The inquiry ends. 

4.20pm: Mah asked Faisol about the witness to the abduction. 

Faisol said a witness saw three Toyato Hilux and a motorcyle stopping Amri’s car. 

“I got the information from my team who went on the ground to investigate Amri’s disappearance on November 26. 

“They met a witness called Syed Azahar. He told my team he saw how Amri was taken.”

Faisol said the team had brought Syed Azahar to the police station to have his statement recorded.

4.10pm: Suhakam officers asked Faisol how did he find out about Amri’s disappearance. 

Faisol said he found out from Amri’s brother-in-law. 

Suhakam officers asked Faisol if Amri’s disappearance was connected to Perlis Hope. 

Faisol said Amri was taken by an organised group. 

“There were people who saw his abduction and told me about it.”

4pm: Suhakam inquiry called to the stand the third witness Perlis PKR chairman Mohammad Faisol Abdul Rahman, who is a Perlis Hope volunteer.

Suhakam officer asked Faisol when did he first meet Amri.

Faisol said he met Amri in 1997 when he was a teacher.

“We used to meet and talk about social issues and I also used to travel with him.

“We also used to talk about his trip to Everest.”

3.50pm: Amri’s family lawyers asked to be allowed to show a picture of detainees in lock-up. 

The lawyers passed the pictures to the police observers and panel members.

Mah asked the police observers if the picture depicts a lock-up. 

Police observers said it looks like a lock-up but they will have to check. 

3.20pm: Bar Council lawyers asked Jamil about his earlier statement that Amri has no enemies, yet Jamil had later mentioned the involvement in Umno and other parties in the case.

Jamil said that is his opinion as he does not know who Amri’s enemies may be.

“I’m just giving my views. But they could be (involved).” 

3.05pm: Police observers asked Jamil how long was he in Iran with Amri, where the two had met for the first time.

Jamil said they were together for 10 days.

“After we met him, he joined us on some of the tours.”

Police observers asked Jamil if he has a degree in Islamic studies.

Jamil said he has the degree from Universiti Malaya and he had  worked as a teacher until 2001. 

2.35pm: Amri’s family lawyers asked Jamil when did the police question him and what did they ask him.

Jamil said police told him that anything could have happened to Amri and that the case could be political, or linked to Perlis Hope or helping the poor. 

Jamil said he asked the police if Amri was still alive and the police did not reply.

1.05pm: Aishah asked Jamil if he is a member of or volunteer at Perlis Hope. 

Jamil said he is not a member but he supports Perlis Hope. 

“They are doing a a lot of good work by giving rice to the hardcore poor.”

Aishah asked does Perlis Hope do any activity other than charity work. 

Jalil said there are no other activities. 

“There are no religious activities or trying to convert anyone to Islam.”

The inquiry breaks an hour for lunch. 

12.45am: Suhakam officers asked Jamil if Asri named people or organisations that are not happy with Perlis Hope. 

Jamil said “no”. 

Suhakam officers asked Jamil how does he know that Umno is not happy with Perlis Hope.

“Amri said that they were not happy. Because when Perlis Hope went to the area and started building homes, it showed that the person in charge of the area was not talking care of the place.”

12.35pm: Suhakam officers asked Jamil when did he find out that Amri was missing.

Jamil said he was informed by the wife the next day. 

“I told her we were supposed to meet but he didn’t show up.”

Suhakam officers asked what did they use to talked about. 

Jamil said Amri told him that some people were unhappy with Perlis Hope. 

“There is political involvement and there are links to Umno who were unhappy with Perlis Hope’s work of helping the poor.”

12.15pm: Suhakam calls in the second witness, Abdul Jamil Ahmad, who is Amri’s friend, to take the stand.

Suhakam officers asked Jalil when did they meet.

Jamil said they met in Iran in 2003.

“I was holidaying in Tehran, Iran and that was where we met. We then became friends, as we were both from Perlis.”

Suhakam officers asked when was the last he saw Amri.

“I was supposed to meet him for coffee in Jitra on November 23, but he didn’t show up.

“I tried calling his phone and he answered but he sounded anxious.

“I then proceeded to the restaurant in Jitra where we are supposed to meet.

“He didn’t show up so I went home.”

11.50am: Mah asked Norhayati if Amri has been to Iran. Norhayati said he has not been to Iran in the last three years to four years.

Aishah asked how many times he went to Iran.

Norhayati said about three to four times.

Aishah asked how come she doesn’t know exactly how many times.

Norhayati said it was a long time ago and she can’t remember.

Mah asked why did he go to Iran, to which she replied “business”.  

“He usually goes for a week. He buys kurma and honey and sometimes for a holiday.”

The inquiry takes a short break. 

11.40am: Mah asked Norhayati if Amri knows Asri on a personal basis to which she replied “yes”.

He asked if Norhayati knows or met Shahidan to which she replied “no”. 

Mah asked if Norhayati had received any ransom demand.

Norhayayi said there were no ransom demands. 

Mah then asked if Amri had any enemy.

“In your mind, can you tell us why Amri went missing?”

Norhayati said, in her opinion, it has nothing to do with his forex trading and it was because of Perlis Hope. 

“Perlis Hope has been doing a lot of charity work and this has made people at the top uneasy.”

11.30am: Commissioner Aishah Bidin asked Norhayati why did she send her four adopted children to school in Thailand. 

Norhayati said she sent the children to a private boarding school in Thailand because they were dropouts. 

“They studied there for five years.”

Commissioner Mah asked if she knows where they are studying in Thailand. 

Norhayiti said that she doesn’t know the name of the school and its location. 

Mah then asked why she had no knowledge of the school. 

Norhayati said Amri would send them or they will take their own transport. 

Aishah asked Norhayati why did she send her children to study in Iran. 

Norhayati said that because they got a scholarship. 

Mah then asked if she knows where they studying in Iran and whether it was in Tehran.

Norhayati said they are not studying in Tehran. 

11.15am: Police observers asked Norhayati about Amri’s travels to Thailand. 

They asked her about her statement that Amri was in Thailand on November 21, 22 and 23 and returned on the 24th.

Police said there is no Immigration record of Amri entering and exiting Thailand. 

Police then asked if he could enter Thailand without a passport and, therefore, no record. 

Norhayati said Amri has a passport and there are Immigration stamps to show that he had been travelling to Thailand. 

10.45am: Police observers asked Norhayati if Amri has an ex-wife.

Norhayati said he had a ex-wife and that they were together for about three years. 

Police then asked Norhayati if she has any adopted child. 

Norhayati said she has four adopted children. 

Police then asked her where are the children, and she said two are here and the other two are studying Persian in Iran. 

(Norhayati and Amri have a total of eight children – four of them biological and four adpoted.)

10.30am: Police observers asked Norhayati how many children she has and where there are.

She replied that three of her children are here while one is studying Persian in Iran.

Police then asked her who are the contributors to Perlis Hope.

Norhayati said everyone is a contributor.

“The volunteers and I also contribute to Perlis Hope.” 

10.15am: Amri family lawyers asked Norhayati if Amri told her that he had nikah mutaah after a meeting with Asri.

Norhayati said Asri never told her about nikah mutaah.

Lawyers than said her brother was present at the meeting and asked if he told her about Asri nikah mutaah.

“No, they both didn’t tell me about nikah mutaah.” 

(Nikah mutaah is a private and verbal temporary marriage contract that is practised in Shia Islam in which the duration of the marriage must be specified and agreed upon in advance.)

10.10am: Amri family lawyers then ask Norhayati whether she can confirm that police had shouted at her child outside the house. 

Norhayati said she is certain that police had shouted at her child.

“I was in the house and heard the police shouting and asking ‘where is your father, ask him to come down’.”

Mah then asked how she knew if the police shouted.

Norhayati said she saw the police officers through the window in her house. 

9.55am: Amri family lawyers ask Norhayati about an interview with Asri published on an online portal yesterday

They asked Norhayati whether she knows Amri was involved in a “nikah mutaah”.

Norhayati said she doesn’t know what nikah mutaah means. 

Lawyers then asked Norhayathi about the article quoting Asri as saying that Amri could have gone to Iran or Thailand because of nikah mutaah. 

The lawyers then asked where is Amri’s passport. 

Norhayati said she has his passport. 

Lawyers then said they will ask her to produce the passport. 

9.40am: Amri family lawyers show Norhayati a Facebook posting of Perlis Mufti Mohamad Asri Zainul Abidin uploaded yesterday and ask her to read out his post and identify the people in the four pictures.

One of the pictures shows Asri and police entering Norhayati’s home.

Commissioner Mah then ask Norhayati about her earlier testament that no one entered her home.

Norhayati says she did not allow them to enter her home.

“After 10 minutes, my brother arrived at my house and he allowed them in because they insisted.” – January 24, 2018.