‘Missing activist’s organisation not linked to politics, religion’

KUALA LUMPUR: Norhayati Ariffin, the wife of social activist Amri Che Mat ( pix), told a Suhakam inquiry yesterday that she believed her husband’s disappearance was linked to his charity work at Perlis Hope, an organisation founded by Amri.

Insisting that Perlis Hope was not in any way politically or religiously linked, Norha- yati said the organisation was active in assisting the poor and needy in the state, regardless of their religion.

The panel was chaired by Suhakam commissioner Datuk Mah Weng Kwai and assisted by commissioners Prof Datuk Dr Aishah Bidin and Dr Nik Salida Suhaila Nik Salleh. The inquiry had sought to establish whether the disappearance of Pastor Raymond Koh, who was abducted in February last year, and three others – Amri Che Mat, Pastor Joshua Hilmi and his wife Ruth Sitepu – were cases of enforced or involuntary disappearance, as defined under the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.

Amri went missing without a trace on Nov 24, 2016, and is believed to have been abducted just 550m from his home in Padang Behor in Kangar, Perlis.

Norhayati said witnesses saw five vehicles blocking her husband’s car before he was taken away.

Perlis Hope had been accused of having links to Shia, a sect in Islam, which has been deemed “haram” (forbidden) by the National Fatwa Council.

Norhayati said that police and religious officers had raided Perlis Hope’s office in 2015.

MANY QUESTIONS OVER PASTOR’S ABDUCTION