More police reports made against Mat Sabu

KUALA LUMPUR - More organisations and individuals have lodged police reports against PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu over his statement allegedly hero-worshipping communist terrorists and discrediting the nation's security forces.

Two NGOs, the Malaysian Society for Former Intelligence Personnel (Baris) and the Islamic Propagation and Welfare Organisation of Malaysia (Pekida), lodged reports in the federal capital while an ex-serviceman, Wan Din Wan Mamat, 51, made his in Tumpat, Kelantan.

Mohamad Sabu was alleged to have said at a "ceramah" (talk) in Tasek Gelugor, Penang, on Aug 21 that the communist terrorists who attacked and killed 25 police personnel and their families in the Bukit Kepong tragedy in February 1950 were the real heroes because they were fighting against the British.

He was also alleged to have said that Datuk Onn Jaafar and Tunku Abdul Rahman were not eligible to be considered as independence fighters because they were officers of the British.

Pekida chairman Datuk Roslan Dahaman said the statement allegedly made by Mohamad Sabu hurt Malaysians, particularly the security forces personnel and their families who perished in the defence of the Bukit Kepong police station near Muar in Johor.

"He (Mohamad Sabu) has to assume responsibility and apologise for the (alleged) statement which has twisted the facts over the struggle of the security forces against the communist threat in the country," he said.

Baris president Nordin Hassan asked the authorities to institute action against Mohamad Sabu, saying the statement attributed to him had adverse implications on the people and country.

In Tumpat, Wan Din said that as a soldier who had fought the communist terrorists, he was disappointed over the statement allegedly made by the PAS leader which he claimed was for political interests.

In KUCHING, the Sarawak Ex-Policemen's Association made a report at the central police station.

Association chairman Datuk Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said retired policemen and soldiers in Sarawak had expressed their disappointment over the statement attributed to Mohamad Sabu and wanted legal action to be taken against him.

In KUANTAN, more than 300 members of 47 NGOs in Pahang held a peaceful demonstration in front of the Kuantan district police headquarters in protest against the alleged statement.

Pahang Propaganda, Islamic, Unity and NGOs Committee chairman Datuk Mohamad Sahfri Abd Aziz said the demonstration also had the support of Buddhist, Sikh and Christian associations.

In KUALA NERANG (Kedah), state opposition leader Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid said the Barisan Nasional (BN) government and leaders should not entertain the statement that communist terrorists were the real heroes of the country.

He said the statement was politically motivated to instil hatred in the people.

- Bernama