The Malaysian Insight

THE 1985 Memali incident was often a sore point between Umno and PAS, with the Islamist party’s leaders and members using the tragedy to lambast their nationalist rivals.

However, 34 years after that black day on November 19, 1985, Memali villagers and families of those killed appear ready to accept Umno-PAS unity, which was formalised last Saturday.

Kampung Memali in Baling Kedah, was the site of a confrontation between police and supporters of religious teacher Ibrahim Libya, who resisted attempts to arrest him under the Internal Security Act. Eighteen people, including four policemen, died when security forces moved in on the village.

Ibrahim was a PAS leader at that time and the Islamist party inevitably supported him and his followers against the federal government that was controlled by Umno then.

On the eve of the official signing of Umno-PAS pact, PAS secretary-general 

Takiyuddin Hassan said the Memali incident was a small matter when compared to the Ummah unity that will arise out of the cooperation.

He also said the victims and members of both parties have forgotten the enmity caused by the tragedy.

When The Malaysian Insight visited Memali earlier this week, villagers as well as Ibrahim’s family members said it was time to move on, and gave the approval for the Umno-PAS pact, saying that it was necessary in the present political climate.

Muhamad Yusuf Husin , 65, said the unity of the two Malay parties was important, adding that he had not heard anything negative about the pact from the villagers.

During the Memali incident, Muhamad was a student of Ibrahim Libya and had been the leader of the religious teacher’s protection unit, which had 100 other students.

“Not all Umno members were involved in the incident. Most of the Umno people had already apologised for the incident. There is no need to reveal their names. 

“For those of us who were involved, the pain is still there but that cannot be an obstacle to the unity pact with Umno as it involves a bigger issue affecting Malays, Islam and Malay rulers,” he said when met at his residence in Memali.

He said while the Memali incident could not be forgotten, at the same time the affected families never held any grudge against anyone.

“We can say that almost 100% of the Memali villagers agree to the Umno-PAS cooperation. No one has opposed it here,” he said.

Yusuf, a Senator from 1988 to 2014, was detained under the Internal Security Act for his role in Ibrahim’s group. He was arrested again under the ISA during Operasi Lalang in 1987.

For Ibrahim’s nephew, Yusop Che Mit, 60, the PAS cooperation with Umno is a good move, although he admitted some in the Ibrahim family initially had concerns over the pact.

“In the early days, there were murmurs of objection but as the day to sign the pact approached, everyone in the family grew accepted the unity deal.

“Furthermore, this is the most appropriate time for the pact, as before this, there were also some hidden hands which stopped the parties from working together,” he said.

Yusop, now the headmaster of the Madrasah Islahiah Diniah, a religious school started by his uncle Ibrahim, added that PAS members also accepted the unity pact as they were loyal to their leaders.

“We, the members, are loyal to party president Abdul Hadi Awang. Even if it involves a matter of blood and flesh, we will still accept the decisions of our leaders,” he said.

Abdul Nasir Idris, 61, said loyalty among PAS members was always stressed upon in party programmes.

The Bayu state rep is regularly involved in aiding and assisting families of Memali victims.

He said during the Memali incident, three of his family members, including his pregnant sister, were arrested and detained by the police for two weeks.

“But we PAS members are loyal to our leaders. We are ready to sacrifice our personal pains for the sake of the party,” he said.

He also said some Memali villagers were present at the Putra World Trade Centre to witness the signing of the charter between Umno and PAS last Saturday.

“This is the sign of their acceptance of the pact,” he said.

“If those affected by the tragic incident can accept the pact, why are outsiders making noise on behalf of these people?,” he said. – September 21, 2019.