SUHAKAM INQUIRY | The panel probing the disappearance of activist Amri Che Mat today requested assistance from its fourth witness, Faisol Abdul Rahman, to locate several other witnesses of his alleged abduction on Nov 24, 2016.

Panel chairperson Mah Weng Kwai said this after the Perlis PKR chief testified on the Amri’s alleged abduction based on third-party accounts.

“We tried to contact them but we could not get them,” said Suhakam officers to Mah’s query on whether the individuals mentioned by Faisol in his testimony would be called before the panel.

Faisol, who is also a Perlis Hope volunteer, said he was told that three Toyota Hilux trucks were seen surrounding Amri’s car at around 11.30pm on Nov 24, before he was taken out and allegedly abducted.

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

“I got the information from my team who went on the ground to investigate Amri’s disappearance on Nov 26,” he said, adding that he was first informed of the disappearance by Amri’s brother-in-law, Norhafizal Ariffin.

When Mah asked whether there were safety concerns from the witnesses to the alleged abduction, Faisol said they were “afraid to come forward” fearing the safety of their families.

Mah (photo) then reassured that the panel would do its best to guarantee their safety, amid claims of Amri’s disappearance being linked to his activities with Perlis Hope - a charitable organisation he founded and which is now accused of being a front for Syiah activities.

Certain parties in Perlis 'not happy' 

The inquiry’s third witness, Abdul Jamil Mohamad, earlier testified he believed Amri’s disappearance was linked to certain parties in Perlis, due to unhappiness that Perlis Hope’s activities had highlighted their failure to address issues of poverty.

“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 taking care of the place,” said Jamil.

He also recounted his last phone call with Amri on the night of Nov 24, when they were supposed to meet in Jitra.

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

“I tried calling his phone at around 12.20am and he answered, but he just said ‘Okay, Okay, Okay’ and sounded anxious,” said Jamil, who described himself as a close friend of Amri since they first met in Iran in 2003.

Earlier that night, Jamil said Amri had texted him and requested to meet for coffee, to which he agreed.

Jamil said he waited for Amri until about 1am, before going home to sleep.

At about 6.30am, Jamil said he received a phone call from Amri’s wife to inquire whether they had met the night before, as the activist did not return home.

The inquiry will resume with Faisol’s testimony tomorrow.

Suhakam is investigating whether the disappearances of Amri and three others were “enforced or involuntary,” as defined by the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICPPED).

The inquiry into the disappearance of another pastor, Raymond Koh, was suspended after police charged a suspect with his kidnapping last week.

The two other disappearances being investigated are that of pastor Joshua Hilmy and his wife Ruth Sitepu.

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