KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 21 09 | Bernama
-- "Do not be bias, treat everyone the same, no matter what political party they belong to," said former Baling police chief Tunku Muzafar Tunku Ibrahim when recalling his near brush with death during the 1985 Memali incident in Baling.
It was probably his impartial attitude and fairness that saved his life when faced with a life threatening situation after being surrounded by about 200 PAS supporters.
Reflecting on the chaotic incident, Tunku Muzafar said he was heading to Kampung Memali in a police patrol car when stopped and surrounded by about 200 PAS supporters who were on the verge of attacking him.
Fortunately, the PAS leader had recognised him as a fair police officer and immediately shouted at the supporters: "Ini Pak Tunku OCPD Baling, (This is Pak Tunku the OCPD of Baling, do not harm him, I have met him before and he can be trusted."
Tunku Muzafar, 67, on Monday met Muhamad Yusof Husin (now a Senator), the PAS leader who stopped his supporters from attacking him 24 years ago, at the Parliament lobby here.
"It was Muhamad Yusof who played an important role in defusing a very tense situation because the PAS supporters were angry and out of control," said Tunku Muzafar after the meeting which was arranged by his brother Senator Tunku Abdul Aziz Tunku Ibrahim.
Tunku Muzafar who has since retired, came from Kedah to pay homage to Muhamad Yusof, 55, who is now the state Liaison secretary for Kedah.
"During the incident, I was 31 and a PAS committee member in Baling. But though I was young, I could think rationally and knew the value of a human life," said Muhamad Yusof.
During the Memali tragedy on Nov 19, 1985, 18 people were killed, many injured and hundreds arrested by police during an attempt to arrest a Religious Scholar, Ibrahim Mahmud or better known as Ibrahim Libya.
