Mufti said Shia activities must be discreet, inquiry told (Updated)

KUALA LUMPUR: Perlis Mufti Datuk Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin was said to had told missing activist Amri Che Mat that Shia activities could be carry out as long as it was done discreetly, the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia's (Suhakam) inquiry heard today.
Amri's wife Norhayati Ariffin said the message was conveyed to Amri during a meeting between him and the mufti on Oct 22, 2015.
She added that the meeting was held after the mufti had requested for Amri to come to his office. The mufti was said to have made the request during a raid at Amri's house a day earlier.
Norhayati added that the meeting was held at the mufti's office, attended by several other police and religious officers.
"After the meeting, Amri had told me that the authorities had suspected Amri of being involved with Shia (activities)," she said.
"However, the mufti told him that the Perlis Mufti Department had no objection to that if such activities were done discreetly," he told the three-panel inquiry at Suhakam headquarters in Menara TH.
The inquiry was chaired by Suhakam commissioner Datuk Mah Weng Kwai and assisted by commissioners Prof Datuk Dr Aishah Bidin and Dr Nik Salida Suhaila Nik Salleh.
Amri went missing without a trace on Nov 24, 2016, believed to be abducted just 550m from his home at Padang Behor in Kangar, Perlis.
Perlis Hope, a charity organisation co-founded by Amri, has been accused of having link to Shia, a sect in Islam which has been deemed "haram" (forbidden) by the National Fatwa Council.
Mah later in the inquiry said that Suhakam might subpoena Mohd Asri to testify as witness.
Norhayati said a day before the meeting, Perlis Hope office was raided by the authorities following accusations on Amri's alleged Shia activities.
Norhayati also corrected her earlier testimony, stating that it was officers from the Perlis Mufti's office that were involved in the raid, and not the Perlis Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (MAIPs).
When asked by the panel on the link between Amri and Shia, Norhayati said she could not provide the answer.
Amri family lawyer later interjected, stating that the issue should be discussed privately as it involved the authorities.
Norhayati said Amri and Perlis Hope had become the target of Perlis authorities since 2015 following allegations linked to Shia activities.
She added that a month before he went missing, Amri became restless as Mohd Asri had uploaded a post on his Facebook telling the public to be wary of Perlis Hope.
She also said a letter from Perlis Islamic Religious Department (JAIPs) director Hazman Hassan to the state education department had also made allegations towards Perlis Hope.
"My husband had become the target of investigations and accusations by JAIPs, MAIPs, political leader and the police for allegedly involved with Shia teachings," she said.
Norhayati also raised her suspicion when the police informed her that only Amri's fingerprint was found in his car, despite the fact that she and her children had board the car hours before the disappearance.
"After more than a year since the disappearance, we are still in confusion as there have been no information or efforts shown by the police on my husband's whereabouts," she said.
"I always prayed for the inquiry to be able to provide a conclusion ... I hope those involved will receive their punishments," she said.