ABDUL Hadi Awang has accepted Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s apology for saying victims in the 1985 Memali tragedy had “mati katak” (died in vain), reported Bernama.

The PAS president said the harsh remarks by the former prime minister were a slip of the tongue.

“Dr Mahathir is not well-versed on religious matters. He should have asked those who are knowledgeable about the subject,” he said in Kuala Ibai, Kuala Terengganu, today.

“We (PAS) have sat down and discussed (the tragedy)... the victims died as martyrs.

“He (Dr Mahathir) had a slip of the tongue. I have heard his apology, and we (PAS) accept that.”

Hadi said there is no need to raise the issue any more, as Muslim scholars, including those who lived through the incident, have declared that the victims had died as martyrs. – May 4, 2018.