No proof Amri was propagating Shia teachings, Special Branch officer says

No proof Amri was propagating Shia teachings, Special Branch officer says

Published: Jun 13, 2024 9:54 PM


A Special Branch officer from the Perlis state police testified there was no evidence showing that missing social activist Amri Che Mat was involved in propagating Shia teachings to others in the state.

Mohd Razman Ramli was giving oral evidence during today’s Kuala Lumpur High Court hearing of a lawsuit by the wife of the 2016 enforced disappearance victim against the police and government, who are the respondents targeted in the civil action.

Razman, a witness for the respondents, was replying during cross-examination by counsel Surendra Ananth, who is acting for plaintiff Norhayati Mohd Ariffin.

Surendra was questioning Razman over the role of the Social Extremism Threat (E2) unit in the Special Branch for Perlis state contingency that he was attached to from 2016 until earlier this year, when he was transferred to the Kangar district police headquarters.

Razman was testifying over the unit’s role in studying potential threats to public order possibly posed by any Shia movement in the state.

Surenda: You said there was no proof that Amri was propagating Shia?

Razman: Yes.

The witness reiterated, however, that the unit is not merely focused on monitoring Shia activity in the state but also on other issues such as the Covid-19 pandemic that may threaten public order.

Razman also testified that the file on Shia activity and the study into the allegation of Amri (above) propagating the teachings is still at the state E2.

The witness explained that the file also contained documentary evidence claiming that Amri was practising Shia, which under Malaysian law is restricted from being propagated to the Sunni majority followers in the country.


Court order

During re-examination by senior federal counsel Zetty Zurina Kamaluddin who is acting for the police and government, Razman denied being involved in any Special Branch operation behind the enforced disappearance of Amri in Perlis on Nov 24, 2016.

Hearing before judge Su Tiang Joo continues on July 1.

Through the civil action, Norhayati seeks a court order for the police to wrap up the investigation into the whereabouts of Amri.

On April 3, 2019, Suhakam’s public inquiry concluded that Amri and pastor Raymond Koh, who vanished in 2016 and 2017 respectively, were victims of enforced disappearances.

The three-member panel unanimously concluded that the perpetrators were members of the Special Branch from police headquarters Bukit Aman in Kuala Lumpur.

Koh’s family also has an ongoing civil court action against the police and government over the pastor’s enforced disappearance.