Pas wants Hadi Awang called up if RCI on Memali tragedy formed

(NST) – Pas has proposed that its president, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang be called to testify if a Royal Commission of Inquiry for the 1985 Memali incident is set up.

PAS secretary-general Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan, in a statement today, also agreed with DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang who had previously called for the acceleration of the formation of the RCI.

Lim, in a press statement in April 2014, had urged and gave reasons why the RCI need to be formed.

In the same statement, Kit Siang had also named the people who needed to be summoned to give their statements.

Among the people he had named were former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, former deputy prime minister Tun Musa Hitam , former Inspector-General of Police Tun Hanif Omar, former deputy IGP Tan Sri Mohamed Amin Osman, former deputy IGP Tan Sri Mohamed Amin, former deputy home minister Tan Sri Radzi Sheikh Ahmad,former Umno secretary general Tan Sri Sanusi Junid, Baling police chief Tunku Muszaffar Shah and former senator Datuk Muhamad Yusuf Husin.

Takiyuddin said Pas felt that the statement made by former IGP Tan Sri Rahim Noor on who should be called to give their statements to the RCI was premature.

“The former IGP should not interfere in the matters of the RCI, which is an independent commission that functions to seek justice without fear or favour,” he said.

Takiyuddin said Pas also views seriously the contents of a book by Tunku Muszaffar, titled ‘Memali: Policemen Remember’ that states among others that ‘Bukit Aman high-ranking officers should not receive orders from their ‘political masters’ and should reject requests which contradicts police ethics.

He requested that the RCI be formed soon, with the blessing of the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong XV Sultan Muhammad V.

The Memali incident took place during a police operation on Nov 19, 1985 in Kedah where religious teacher Ibrahim Mahmud, better known as Ibrahim Libya, was arrested.

The incident led to the deaths of 18 people, four of whom were policemen.