KUALA LUMPUR: It has been almost eight years since the disappearance of activist Amri Che Mat, but his family is still clinging to hope for his safety, desperate to know his whereabouts and wellbeing.
Amri's wife Norhayati Ariffin said the reality is hard to swallow and the tragedy has brought great trauma to her family.
However, the 51-year-old woman said life must go on and she will continue to persevere in the hope of finding answers and justice for her husband.
"I always pray for his safety and wellbeing. We miss him so much.
"I hope he is okay," she said in a trembling voice before tears welled up in her eyes.
She was met after testifying in her lawsuit against 21 individuals including the government over the conduct of the home ministry and police during their investigations into her husband's disappearance in 2016.
Norhayati had filed the suit on Nov 18, 2019 against the police, government and the then home minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, as well as the former head of the Special Branch's social extremism division, Awaludin Jadid.
The activist's wife sought aggravated and exemplary damages.
Earlier, Norhayati testified that she had lodged a police report last night to locate a star witness Saiful Adfzan Senei who purportedly saw her husband's abduction.
She said the report was lodged at the Sentul police station to locate Saiful who also went missing after he failed to turn up at the previous Human Rights Commission of Malaysia's (Suhakam) inquiry into Amri's disappearance six years ago.
"However, the policeman told me that he could not locate Saiful as the latter has been deemed a wanted person.
The government had set up a task force in 2019 to investigate the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia's (Suhakam) claim of police involvement in the disappearances of Amri and Pastor Raymond Koh.
It was chaired by former High Court judge Datuk Abd Rahim Uda.
On May 9 this year, High Court judge Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh ruled that the task force's report should be given to Norhayati and her lawyer.
However, the government filed an appeal against the order on June 7.
Amri, who is the founder of a non-governmental organisation, went missing after leaving his home in Kangar about 11.30pm on Nov 24, 2016.
His vehicle was found abandoned at a construction site at Bukit Chabang near Kangar.
Suhakam conducted public inquiries into both disappearances. It is likely the two fell victim to "enforced disappearances" perpetrated by Special Branch policemen, the human rights group found.
The hearing before High Court judge Su Tiang Joo continues on April 22.
