Activist’s wife grateful Suhakam is probing his disappearance
Norhayati Mohd Ariffin says she is disappointed with the way the authorities are handling her husband’s case.
PETALING JAYA: Norhayati Mohd Ariffin is grateful that the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) is now probing the disappearance of her activist husband, Amri Che Mat.
“My family, friends and I want to thank Suhakam, especially its (chairman) Razali Ismail, for their concern, and their sense of responsibility to uphold the human rights that should have been accorded to my husband and the three others,” she said in a statement today.
Norhayati was referring to the three other activists who have also gone missing since late last year.
The trio were Pastor Raymond Koh, Pastor Joshua Hilmy and his wife, Ruth Hilmi.
Norhayati said she was disappointed with the way the authorities had handled her husband’s mysterious disappearance.
It was as if Amri and the other missing activists were not important, she said.
“So I felt very grateful when I found out that Suhakam and several other organisations are working hard to solve the cases.”
Razali on Friday said much remained to be done in these missing cases.
“All direct victims and their families have the right to know the truth, to have effective access to justice and to obtain redress,” he had said.
“The right to know the truth, which is at the core of the issue, has an individual and collective dimension.”
He said the public at large were entitled to know the circumstances under which they went missing.
Koh, 62, was abducted from his car by a group of more than 10 men in a convoy of vehicles on Feb 13.
CCTV footage showed at least three black SUVs were involved in the abduction.
Many speculated that his abduction might have been connected to his alleged attempt to spread Christianity, although his family has dismissed such claims.
Social activist Amri, 44, who co-founded charity organisation Perlis Hope, has been missing since Nov 24 last year.
His wife, Norhayati Ariffin, said witnesses had seen five vehicles blocking the path of Amri’s car before he was taken away just 550 metres from their home in Bukit Chabang, Perlis.
Joshua and his wife, Ruth, meanwhile, were last seen on Nov 30 last year.
“My husband has been missing for more than 200 days, almost seven months. My children and I have been blanketed with despair,” said Norhayati.
“This is our first experience going through the fasting month without him by our side. His absence is greatly felt. We have lost our pillar of strength, and a shoulder to lean on.
“I also sympathise with Koh’s wife, Susanna Liew, and I am always praying for her and her family to be strong in facing this challenge.
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“I’m sure she’s feeling the sadness that I am feeling.”