Ibrahim Mahmood (2nd L), was a student of Darul Ulum (1968), Deoband, India, a graduate of al Azhar subsequently of Tripoli, Libya. Hence, he became to be known as Uztaz Ibrahim Libya when came back to Kedah to start his madrasah in June 1978 and carry out dakwah.
To him Malaysia is not an Islamic state enough.
He was probably a misunderstood man by many especially the government machinery and political masters, UMNO-BN. He and 13 of his supporters were killed in the shoot-out at his Madrasah Islamiah Diniah Kg. Memali, Baling on 20 Nov. 1985.
A year before that, 2 Sept 1984 to be exact he was clammed with Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri (ISA) 1960. Apparently, the Kedah UMNO assembly, 1984 proposed that Ibrahim to be arrested.
Many of Ibrahim's ardent followers, a few probably armed with shotguns kept vigil day and night of the house-madrasah. The police could not arrest him. Ibrahim had willingly surrendered his shotgun to the police.
Confrontation between Ibrahim's followers and FRU before the shoot-out (L).
FRU and police cordoned the madrasah (L). The PAS symbol showed "Semalaysia".
Now Najib uses 1Malaysia!
Ibrahim's fanatical interpretation of surrender was only to Allah. No two ways about it. Not to ISA. He was always talking about syahid. "Daripada hidup bercermin bangkai, lebih baik mati bergalang tanah" he
said.
Such a stand was a tactical and emotional error on his part for the government was not up to forcing to leave his religion to take such a fatal stand.
The temper and emotions after more than a year of standoff crippled the minds of Ibrahim Libya and his followers and the authorities to end in bloodshed. Apart from Ibrahim, 13 of his followers died (syahid according to kampung people and PAS) and 4 of the police.
The government has all the time, means and resources at its disposal to end the matter in a humanly bloodless manner.
Whos hands are bloodied - Mahathir being the PM though out of the country during the incident, Musa Hitam being DPM and acting PM, Home Minister, Chief of Police, VAT69 commandos who went for the attack, Kedah MB, UMNO, PAS themselves?
Is UMNO-BN paying for the blunder of the Memali Massacre? Then let Kedah be PAS.
Errata: Massacre is the right spelling.
ReplyDeleteSir,
ReplyDeleteNo killings are justifiable but revisiting the Memali incidence and to describe it as a massacre is a little bit outrageous. As you has described how fanatic a person like Ibrahim Libya was, perhaps his death was due to his own folly. But what I resent most is how he managed to manipulate and brainwash his followers, especially women and kids. These are the traits of religious fanatic who lived in his own utopian world.
Was the killing avoidable? Yes, if only Ibrahim Libya had realised that Islam flourished in this country. And how Islamic enough that he wanted Malaysia to be?
Osama, Azahari, Abu Akar Bashir are some of the names that lent testiomony to the fact that acute radicalism does not pay.
boleh saya tahu ini akhbar apa? dan tarikh bilakah?
ReplyDelete