Go pay Memali folk a visit, PAS tells Dr M

Following the fracas at the "Nothing to Hide 2" forum yesterday, PAS said Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad should pay a visit to the community in Memali, Kedah.

PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said he hopes taking on a more reconciliatory approach would give some closure to the 1985 tragedy.

“After the participants raised the issue with the Memali incident, PAS feels that those involved in the unfortunate incident take on a more ‘good faith’ approach towards the family and relatives of those involved.

“In doing so, it is hoped that the anger, prejudice, suspicion, and egoism of certain parties can be put to an end, and we would instead take steps towards providing support for all those in need of assistance, whether in terms of material or moral support.

“In this matter, PAS also urges Mahathir (photo) as a statesman to visit the Memali community involved in the incident with hopes that it would bring a good resolution for the people and the country,” he said in a statement today.

At the forum yesterday, Mahathir had been fielding a question regarding the Memali incident when a slipper was thrown at him but missed.

At the time, he was asked how the villagers who died in the incident were framed as criminals.

In the ensuing melee, chairs, bottles, and at least two flares were also thrown at the venue, and a fight broke out and spilled outside the hall.

Mahathir managed to escape the scuffle unharmed, but at least one journalist and one senior citizen were seen tending to their knees after the incident.

Police have remanded three youths in connection to the violence. Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had pledged that wrongdoers will be prosecuted.

The Memali tragedy took place on Nov 19, 1985, when police attempted to capture the religious scholar and PAS leader Ibrahim “Libya” Mahmood at his camp. He was suspected of heading a "deviant" sect.

Instead, when the 400-strong police force rolled into the camp with armoured vehicles, 14 villagers including Ibrahim and four police personnel died in the fighting.

The then prime minister Mahathir had claimed that he was on an official visit to China at the time, leaving his deputy Musa Hitam to take the blame for the tragedy.

However, Musa, who was also the home minister at the time, later revealed in 2014 that Mahathir was in fact in Kuala Lumpur during the incident. Musa claimed that he was not directly involved in the incident, as its operational aspects are the inspector-general of police’s responsibility.

Mahathir had subsequently admitted that he was in Malaysia at the time but insisted that the incident took place under Musa’s watch because the inspector-general of police reports to him. - Mkini