KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 5): A judge has ordered the government and police to pay more than RM3 million in damages to the family of missing activist Amri Che Mat for failing to undertake a proper investigation into his disappearance.

High Court judge Su Tiang Joo held that the government and police had breached their statutory duties. Su also surmised that the officers involved in the investigation had acted “unconstitutionally”.

The judge awarded special, general and exemplary damages totalling slightly more than RM3 million to Amri’s family. The family was also awarded costs of RM250,000.

Su also ordered the police to reopen the investigation into Amri's "abduction".

Amri, the founder of the NGO Perlis Hope, left his home at about 11.30pm on Nov 24, 2016. His car was found at a construction site at the Bukit Cabang Sports School in Perlis the following morning.

Amri’s wife Norhayati Ariffin had named 21 parties in the lawsuit, including police and the government, over their failure to effectively investigate her husband’s alleged abduction.

The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) had concluded in April 2019 that Amri and pastor Raymond Koh, who disappeared in 2017, were victims of enforced disappearance.

Following this, the Home Ministry formed a special task force to reinvestigate the matter. However, the invesigation report has yet to be released, despite calls to do so from various parties.  

Norhayati, speaking to the media after Wednesday's decision, said she was grateful over the outcome of the lawsuit.

She added, however, that the feeling of sadness remained "because questions about Amri’s whereabouts, whether he is alive, dead, or in good health, are all still unanswered”.

She also expressed hope that those responsible would be held accountable for what they had done.