PAS President, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang claimed the several police personnel involved in the Memali operation that caused the death of several people 29 years ago, had come forward and apologised to him.

He said the police personnel approached him after he delivered a speech in Penang several days after the incident took place.

He said they received orders to act violently against the PAS members in the village.

“A few days after the Memali incident, I had gone to Penang to deliver a speech at the invitation of PAS Penang.

“After the event several police personnel approached me and apologised for acting violently against the PAS members in Memali.

“They said they were forced to do so as they had received orders from the top,” he said after delivering a speech during the ‘Himpunan Keadilan Untukmu Memali’ programme here last night.

He said the apology from the police personnel was proof that the Government had acted wrongfully against the victims of the Memali incident.

Meanwhile his deputy, Mohamad Sabu said the Memali incident was proof the UMNO often takes advantage of the situation when PAS is in crisis.

He added UMNO through Barisan Nasional (BN) had acted against PAS when it was not yet affiliated with any other opposition party like it is today.

“During the Memali incident, PAS was not yet affiliated with DAP, and as such this proves that UMNO has always betrayed our struggles (PAS),” he said.

Mohamad said the Memali incident was a black dot in PAS’ struggles and it will never be forgotten as long as the Government does not cancel the White Paper that had been presented before this.

PAS information chief Datuk Mahfuz Omar meanwhile said the Government should restore ties with the villagers in Memali and cancel the White Paper that was presented in Parliament 28 years ago.

He said that way the Government will be seen as a responsible one for events which he described as a huge mistake.

“If the Government can hold talks with the Communists in Baling, why can’t they hold talks with the families of the Memali victims?” he said.