Perlis Hope claims it was asked to cancel programme, inquiry told

KUALA LUMPUR: The charity organisation co-founded by missing activist Amri Che Mat (pic) had been asked to cancel one of its programmes previously, a public inquiry heard on Thursday (Jan 25).

Perlis Hope spokesman Faisol Abdul Rahman claimed that a government department had told the organisation to cancel a programme to give out school bags and uniforms.

“They said that they got instructions from above to stop it. They told me to understand,” he said during a Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) inquiry Thursday (Jan 25) on the disappearance of Amri.

Faisol, 54, added that Perlis Hope’s charity work had been misinterpreted by certain parties.

He pointed to a circular dated Sep 21, 2016 by the Perlis Islamic Religious Department to schools not to hold programmes with Perlis Hope as the NGO was preaching Syiah teachings under the guise of charity.

Perlis Mufti Datuk Dr Asri Zainul Abidin had previously said in a Facebook post that the activities of Perlis Hope were doubtful.
 
He also said in an interview with a news portal this week that during a meeting in 2015, Amri had told him he was a practising Syiah.

Faisol, however, told the inquiry that Perlis Hope did not belong to any religion, adding that the NGO’s WhatsApp group chat comprised people from different backgrounds.

He further said the organisation had never been summoned for questioning by the authorities over its activities.

Police observer ACP R. Munusamy later said during the inquiry that Amri, who was a foreign exchange (Forex) trader, was declared bankrupt in March 2008.

Amri had left his home at about 11.30pm on Nov 24, 2016.

His black 4WD was found the next day near the construction site of the Bukit Cabang Sports School with the windscreen smashed.

The inquiry is being held under Section 12(1) of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia Act in connection with the disappearances of Pastor Raymond Koh, Amri, Pastor Joshua Hilmi and his wife, Ruth Sitepu.

Suhakam halted the inquiry into Pastor Koh last week as a suspect had been charged in court in relation to the case.