Possibility of anti-syiah group not fully explored, Amri inquiry told

KUALA LUMPUR: The police probe into the disappearance of Perlis-based activist Amri Che Mat did not thoroughly explore the possibility of involvement of an anti-syiah group in the case, the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia's (Suhakam) inquiry heard today.
The investigating officer in charge of the disappearance, Inspector Khor Yi Shuen, said the allegation that Amri was a syiah follower was an important aspect in the investigations.
However, when questioned by Amri's family lawyer, Razlan Hadri, over the involvement of an anti-syiah group, Khor said he had only consulted the Perlis Islamic Religious Department to get more information on the syiah.
Razlan had asked about the direction of Khor's investigation after considering the possibility of critics of syiah teachings causing Amri's disappearance.
"I did not have any information (so) I did not do anything," Khor told the inquiry in response to Razlan's question.
Razlan also asked Khor whether he had conducted research on the possible groups that might be related to Amri's disappearance, to which Khor replied in the negative.
Khor, who was from IPD Kangar, also confirmed that the police had held a special meeting concerning the case, two days after Amri reportedly went missing. He added that the fact that Amri was alleged to be an adherent of syiah teachings was also mentioned in the meeting.
"There is a tendency that the possibility of Amri's adherent to syiah could have brought consequences or causing himself to 'menghilangkan diri' (flee)," Khor said.
When asked by Razlan whether the issue of Amri's beliefs could lead to people wanting him to disappear, Khor said there was such a possibility.
Meanwhile, Khor also told the inquiry that he had never attended any course on conducting investigations since he joined the police in 2016. He was responding to a question by the panel about his suitability as the investigating officer of Amri's case.
"I have never attended the course but I have carried out my duty as the investigating officer until now," he said.
Amri, a social activist running the charity organisation Perlis Hope, went missing on Nov 24, 2016, and is believed to have been abducted just 550m from his home in Kangar, Perlis.