I was not ‘very aware’ of missing Perlis activist’s case, says ex-IGP

KUALA LUMPUR: Former inspector-general of police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar has admitted that he was not “very aware” of the case involving missing Perlis activist Amri Che Mat.

In a report by Free Malaysia Today, Khalid, who was testifying at the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) inquiry into Amri’s disappearance, said he found out about the case after reading the news.

“From there, I found out that he was a subject of a missing persons case. Later, I asked one of my officers what happened and was informed that a missing persons case had been filed.

“I cannot recall who informed me, but since the report was made in Perlis, so (it is) somebody from Perlis.”

Asked by Suhakam officers on whether Amri was under surveillance and whether he had ever been under surveillance, Khalid replied that the case was nothing more than a missing persons case.

He said inquiry papers were opened to investigate the case of a missing person.

“There was no briefing on Amri’s case.

“Since the case was being talked about a lot on social media, I asked about the case, but unofficially.”

Khalid said to his knowledge, there was no task force set up to investigate Amri.

Asked by Amri’s lawyer, Larissa Anne Louis, on whether Amri had been put under surveillance because he was a Shia follower, although evidence had shown he was not a threat, Khalid said he could not confirm the matter.

“I cannot confirm whether Amri was put under surveillance. As I said, I was not very aware of this case.”

Amri, the co-founder of nongovernmental organisation Perlis Hope, disappeared on Nov 24, 2016. His wife said five vehicles had blocked his car before he was taken away outside their home in Bukit Chabang, Perlis.