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Report - Shahidan denies knowing Amri Che Mat, wife
Published:  Jan 23, 2018 9:27 AM
Updated: 2:54 AM

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Shahidan Kassim has reportedly distanced himself from claims of alleged involvement in the disappearance of activist Amri Che Mat.

The Malaysian Insight quoted the Arau MP as saying that he neither knew Amri nor his wife Norhayati Ariffin, who had made the claims in her testimony to the Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) panel probing the disappearance of the activist and three others.

"I am reluctant to comment because I do not know the man and his wife," Shahidan said.

Norhayati told the panel yesterday that Shahidan had, in the past, raised displeasure about Perlis Hope, her husband's NGO, in raising concerns about possible links to his disappearance.

Asked why Perlis Hope was being targeted, Norhayati said she believes that it was because Perlis Hope’s charity work had made the Perlis Baitumal and Shahidan appear impotent in ensuring the people’s welfare.

She also said she suspected the involvement of Perlis mufti Mohamed Asri Zainul Abidin (photo), who had met with Amri over concerns that Perlis Hope was spreading Syiah teachings in the state.

Syiah teachings are considered “deviant” and illegal in Malaysia and depart from the Sunni Islam practised by most of the country’s Muslims.

Amri was last seen by his wife and family on Nov 24, 2016.

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

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

The commission had previously been investigating pastor Raymond Koh’s disappearance but was forced to suspend proceedings when former Uber driver Lam Chang Nam was charged in court with abducting Koh.

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