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Cop: Amri’s practice of Shia Islam caused unhappiness
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21, 2024: Police officer Khor Yi Shuen claims in the High Court today that Shia Islam teachings were being spread through the activities of Perlis Hope, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) formed by missing activist Amri Che Mat.
Khor told the court that Amri’s practice of Shia Islam caused unhappiness to certain people.
Investigating officer Khor was testifying in a lawsuit brought by Amri’s wife, Norhayati Ariffin, against the Government and several police officers, including himself, over the conduct of investigations into the activist’s disappearance.
No News Is Bad News reproduces below a news report on the court proceedings:
Amri’s practice of Shia Islam made others unhappy, court told
-21 Oct 2024, 06:14 PM
Police officer Khor Yi Shuen claims Shia Islam teachings were being spread through the activities of Perlis Hope, an NGO formed by the missing activist.
Norhayati Ariffin is suing the government and several police officers over the conduct of investigations into the disappearance of her husband, activist Amri Che Mat, eight years ago.
KUALA LUMPUR: Amri Che Mat’s practice of Shia Islam caused unhappiness to certain people, a police officer tasked with probing the activist’s disappearance told the High Court here.
Investigating officer Khor Yi Shuen said the claim was made by Amri’s friend, identified only as Norita.
The officer said his investigations led him to ask Amri’s wife, Norhayati Ariffin, what her husband’s religious beliefs were.
What I gathered from witnesses was that there were claims of the spread of Shia (teachings) through the activities of Perlis Hope, and this might have upset some people, said Khor.
Perlis Hope was an NGO founded by Amri.
Khor was testifying in a lawsuit brought by Norhayati against the government and several police officers, including himself, over the conduct of investigations into the activist’s disappearance.
The suit alleges that the defendants had breached the law and their statutory duties, committed misfeasance in public office, and were negligent in the discharge of their responsibilities.
In his testimony, Khor told the court that, according to his understanding, Shia Islam differed from Sunni Islam which was practised by the majority of Muslims in Malaysia.
This might lead to an undesirable situation in the country since it (Shia Islam) does not follow the teachings followed by the majority (of Muslims), he added.
Witness admits to delay in probe
Testifying under cross-examination by lawyer Surendra Ananth, representing Norhayati, Khor said that he only sought records of Amri’s movements from the immigration department nine months after the activist disappeared.
He said the delay was because he was focused on taking statements from various witnesses.
Asked if it was hard to prepare and send a letter to immigration department to secure the required information, Khor said the letter could be readied and despatched within a day.
Questioned why it took between four and five months for DNA samples to be sent to the chemist department, Khor responded:
I was occupied with work and investigating other missing persons cases.
To a question by Justice Su Tiang Joo whether department procedure required DNA samples to be sent quickly to the chemist department for analysis, the officer replied:
There was no specific time frame but it is best that it is sent as soon as possible.
He said that he kept the samples in a refrigerator.
Su: Did you know one of the items of evidence in this case was a water bottle? Do you think the saliva (on the bottle) would have dried up after five months?
Khor: I am not sure.
Khor concurred with a special task force’s finding that he did not adhere to standard operating procedures when handling the case.
He also acknowledged that there were delays in the recording of witness statements and in sending DNA samples to the chemistry department for analysis.
Amri left his home in Kangar, Perlis, at about 11.30pm on Nov 24, 2016.
His car was found at a construction site at the Bukit Cabang Sports School early the next morning.
The task force was established after an inquiry by the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) concluded in April 2019 that the police’s Special Branch was responsible for Amri’s enforced disappearance.
The hearing continues before Su on Oct 24.
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