VIOLENCE should never be condoned, civil society leaders said in response to PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang blaming Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s “unsatisfactory” reply at Sunday’s Nothing to Hide 2.0 forum.

Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4) director Cynthia Gabriel called it “distasteful” while Hakam president Ambiga Sreenevasan said violence was a “disproportionate” response.

Hadi today said Pakatan Harapan chairman Dr Mahathir did not give a satisfactory answer to a question on the Memali incident in 1985 in which a PAS leader was killed. Hadi also lauded those who raised the question about the incident.

But Ambiga questioned Hadi’s logic, noting that he had not even been present at the forum.

“First, it is a little unusual for Hadi Awang to comment, as he was not there to see what caused the fracas.

“Secondly, under no circumstance should any leader condone any act of violence. Violence to an answer you do not like is a totally disproportionate response. Is Hadi Awang suggesting that the violence is acceptable at this instance?

“I think this is a case of defending the indefensible,” she said.

Cynthia defended the right to hold different opinions.

“(Hadi) fails to recognise that different views and opinions should be encouraged in a vibrant society. No matter what, violence can never ever be condoned! Ever!”

Member of prominent Malay grouping G25 Tawfik Ismail said in a text message: “Not okay to condone any act of violence.”

The forum was disrupted while Dr Mahathir was on stage taking questions from the public. He started answering about the Memali incident when chaos erupted.

Shoes and water bottles were hurled – some in his direction – and then chairs and flares were also thrown about the hall. 

The Memali incident occurred while Dr Mahathir was prime minister and is a dark episode for PAS, which lost one of its leaders Ibrahim Mahmud, also known as “Ibrahim Libya”.

He led a 400-member Islamic militant sect besieged by some 200 policemen in the kampung of Memali in Kedah. Ibrahim, 13 of his followers and four police officers were killed in the siege.

Hadi said PAS had been the “victim” in the incident because of Ibrahim’s death.

More civil society groups came out today to condemn the violence at Sunday’s forum in a joint statement through umbrella group Gabungan Bertindak Malaysia.

Fifty-one groups, including Islamic organisations, such as the Islamic Renaissance Front, Muslim Professionals Forum and Sisters in Islam, decried the political gangsterism that they said was aimed at “intimidating the democratic contestation of ideas and silencing dissenting opinions”.

“This trend is worrying particularly with the next general election. Such unruly and criminal behaviour, if left unchecked will inevitably escalate to outbreaks of political violence during the campaigning period,” the groups said. – August 15, 2017.