POKOK SENA: Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail today dismissed claims that the government is being overly sensitive in declassifying a report on the probe involving the disappearance of activist Amri Che Mat in 2016 to his wife.
Saifuddin said all parties should allow the due process to take place since the Appellate Court has allowed the Attorney General's appeal for a stay of execution.
"In fact, the investigation committee (on Amri's disappearance) was set up during the Pakatan Harapan administration in 2018 when Tun Mahathir (Mohamad) was the prime minister.
"The court decision to declassify the report was made recently. Subsequently, the (Appellate) Court allowed for stay of execution after the A-G filed an appeal.
"Of course I will look into the matter. Let us go through the process one at a time.
"I wish to dismiss any notions that the government is being sensitive or stubborn. It does not arise at all," he told reporters here today.
He had earlier joined Education Minister Fahdlina Sidek to inspect the progress of work of a design and technology laboratory project at SK Jabi here today.
Saifuddin was responding to the call by several human rights activists urging the government to withdraw its appeal on the Kuala Lumpur High Court decision to declassify the report on Amri's disappearance to his wife, Norhayati Ariffin.
It was reported that the government had filed an appeal against the court order, which compelled them to release its classified report on the probe involving Amri's disappearance in 2016.
Counsel Larissa Ann Louis, who appeared for Norhayati was reported as saying the appeal was filed at the Appellate Court last week and the government also had obtained a stay order from releasing the special task force's report to her client
On May 9, Kuala Lumpur High Court Judge Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh ruled that the report can only be given to Norhayati and her lawyer within 30 days.
In June 2019, the then Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced the setting up of the task force with former High Court Judge Datuk Abd Rahim Uda as the chairman.
Amri, who was the founder of a Perlis non-governmental organisation (NGO) Hope reportedly went missing after he had left his home in Kangar at about 11.30pm on Nov 24, 2016.
Amri was driving a Toyota Fortuner when it was "boxed in" at the material time and about an hour later, Amri's vehicle was found abandoned at a construction site at Bukit Chabang in Kangar.
