Norhayati Ariffin also told the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) inquiry into her husband’s disappearance that Perlis mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin was part of a team of some 20 officers from the police and the Perlis Mufti Department, who had arrived outside her house to question her husband about his Perlis Hope organisation.
“My husband had helped build houses for the poor near Shahidan Kassim’s house in Arau, after which Shahidan had harshly criticised Perlis Hope on Facebook,” she said.
She said Asri had accused Perlis Hope, a non-governmental organisation, of engaging in terrorist activities.
She said when her house was surrounded “sometime in 2015”, a policeman screamed at her daughter asking where her parents were.
“When I came out, a police officer had called me forward and introduced me to Dr Maza (Asri) who asked permission to enter the house but I wouldn’t allow it as my husband was out,” she told the inquiry today.
She said in the ruckus, a policeman had entered her house without permission.
“They were asking me about my husband’s activities.”
Norhayati claimed the Kangar police department had told her her husband’s case had been referred to Bukit Aman but when she asked Bukit Aman police, they said they were not handling the case.
Since then, she has not received any new updates from the police.
Norhayati said Perlis Hope had nothing to do with religion or politics, adding that Shahidan and Asri could be unhappy because the group’s works made it seem as though they were not doing their job.
“When it is an NGO that helps the poor, it may make some leaders feel uncomfortable.”
Suhakam is continuing its inquiry into Amri’s disappearance, as well as that of Pastor Joshua Hilmy and his wife Ruth.
Amri, who co-founded Perlis Hope, has been missing since Nov 24, 2016.
Norhayati had said that five vehicles had blocked Amri’s car before he was whisked away, just 550 metres from their home in Bukit Chabang, Perlis.
Joshua and his wife, Ruth, meanwhile, were last seen on Nov 30, 2016. A police report was lodged in Klang but the case was referred to the Petaling Jaya police as the complainant said the missing persons lived in Kampung Tunku.
The inquiry had also included the case of Pastor Raymond Koh, who has been missing since February last year after he was abducted by some 10 men in Petaling Jaya.
But following a suspect being charged with kidnapping Koh last week, the inquiry could only focus on the three other missing persons.