Amri Che Mat’s wife seeks to block govt’s stay application

2026-03-09 - 04:33

A lawyer representing Norhayati Ariffin says her main objection is that she views the stay application as an attempt to delay restarting investigations into her husband’s abduction. PETALING JAYA: Norhayati Ariffin, the wife of missing activist Amri Che Mat, has filed a submission with the High Court opposing the government’s application to stay the execution of a November 2025 ruling awarding her family over RM3 million. The government filed the application for the stay on Jan 8, pending the disposal of its appeal in the Court of Appeal. Surendra Ananth, a member of Norhayati’s legal team, said that as the successful plaintiff, she had made a genuine effort to resolve the matter amicably by proposing a conditional stay. “We offered to stay the payment of damages and costs while proceeding with the investigation and liability components of the judgment. “The government rejected this proposal in its entirety without providing reasons,” Surendra said in a statement. He said his client’s main objection was that she viewed the stay application as an attempt to delay restarting investigations into her husband’s abduction. “Of special concern for Norhayati is the lack of action to begin proper investigations into her husband’s disappearance and how their application to stay the order would further delay this,” he added. The hearing for the government’s application to stay judgment is scheduled to take place on March 11 at 2pm before Kuala Lumpur High Court Justice Zalita Zaidan. In November last year, the Kuala Lumpur High Court ordered the government and the police to pay Amri’s family more than RM3 million for failing to conduct proper investigations into his disappearance. Justice Su Tiang Joo ruled that the government and the police had breached their statutory duties, and that their officers had acted unconstitutionally. Amri, the founder of the NGO Perlis Hope, left his home at around 11.30pm on Nov 24, 2016. His car was found at a construction site at the Bukit Cabang Sports School in Perlis early the next morning. Norhayati filed a suit against the government and the police over the manner in which they investigated his disappearance. Su issued an additional order, prompting the inspector-general of police to remove investigating officer Khor Yi Shuen and other officers handling Amri’s case, and appoint new IOs to take over the investigation. He also ordered the police to recommence the investigations and report their findings to the Attorney-General’s Chambers every two months.