KUALA LUMPUR: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad claimed that the 14 people who were killed in the Memali tragedy in 1985, did not die as martyrs but rather died in vain.
He claimed that the reason behind the tragic incident was due to the ‘Amanat Haji Hadi’ issued in 1981 which called for government officers to be killed, as they were considered to be infidels.
“In short, ‘Amanat Haji Hadi’ urged his people (Pas) to kill government officers, as supposedly the government was an infidel government and he was against such government.
“Supposedly their people (Pas) in their fight against an infidel government, will die as martyr’s. The tragedy in Memali, saw them shoot dead four police officers, only then did Police respond, which saw 14 people being killed. Not die as martyr’s but died in vain,” he said in a ceramah at the Lembah Pantai constituency, here on Thursday.
'Amanat Haji Hadi' is the current Pas president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang decree in the 1981, when he had allegedly stated that those who supported Barisan Nasional were infidels.
In the Memali incident on Nov 19, 1985, violence erupted when villagers resisted the police’s attempt to arrest preacher Ibrahim Mahmud, known as Ibrahim Libya, and who was also a local Pas leader, under the ISA for deviant teachings. It was an allegation rejected by Pas.
In addition to the eighteen people, including four policemen, who were killed, more than 100 people were injured in the clash.