Bukit Kepong: Punish Mat Sabu through ballot box, says Umno

PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu was Saturday blasted for his version of the 1950s Bukit Kepong Police Station bloody incident and asked to apologise for "twisting" the facts.

Malaysian Ex-Servicemen's Association president Datuk Muhammad Abdul Ghani describing Mohamad Sabu who is also known as Mat Sabu as history-blind, said the latter must apologise.

"And he should recall that national peace did not come easily. A lot of blood was shed to sustain the liberty of our beloved country," he told reporters in Kota Baharu Saturday.

Mat Sabu presented a talk at Tasek Gelugor in Penang on Aug 21 in which he was claimed to have said the communists who attacked and killed 25 police personnel and their families in the Bukit Kepong tragedy were the real heroes as they were actually fighting the British.

Muhammad advised Mat Sabu not to be a leader greedy for power to the extent of twisting the country's history.

Destructive

UMNO Youth deputy chief Datuk Razali Ibrahim speaking to Bernama, said Mat Sabu should be punished through the ballot box for humiliating those who went down fighting for the country in the tragedy, and humiliating their heirs as well.

The Youth and Sports deputy minister challenged the PAS leader to repeat his presentation to residents in Pagoh and Bukit Kepong, Johor and in Selangor.

Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Dr Awang Adek Hussin, speaking to reporters at a national flag flying campaign involving taxi drivers in Kota Baharu, said Mat Sabu was only trying to solicit political sympathy in twisting facts which had never been questioned.

Malaysian Pribumi Organisation (Perkasa) Information chief Ruslan Kassim said Mat Sabu was trying to influence the people to dismiss the struggle by the Malays for independence.

"What he said could have destructive implications especially on the young who have not fully grasped the meaning of independence and the fight to get it from the colonial masters," he said, suggesting that the PAS leader should be cited for sedition under the Sedition Act.

Political stunt but by whom

Meanwhile, the Johor State Youth Council condemned Mat Sabu's statements saying they were just a cheap political stunt to get the Chinese community on his side.

Speaking to Bernama, its president Anuar Manap echoed the call for an apology.

"What he said was offensive to the living families of the 25 policemen who perished; their feelings and those of other Malaysians have been hurt," he said.

Annuar said the council would hold a Tahlil recital at the Bukit Kepong Police Station on the first day of Aidilfitri in memory of those who died.

-- BERNAMA