More than 10 members of the Malaysian Ex-Servicemen Association lodged a police report Pasir Puteh today against PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu for his remarks on the 1950 Bukit Kepong tragedy.

Sixty-four-year-old Zawawi Mohamed, a member of the Pasir Puteh committee of the association who headed the group, said: "We want the police to investigate him immediately and detain him under the Internal Security Act."

"We feel insulted that the communists were regarded as the heroes in the tragedy. Mat Sabu acted with malicious intent, twisting historical facts for politics," he told reporters here. Zawawi served in the Malay Regiment for 20 years.

Mohamad Sabu was alleged to have said that the communists who attacked and killed 25 policemen and their families were heroes in the Independence struggle because they were fighting against the British.

In Tanjong Karang , Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Noh Omar said that Mat Sabu should "go back to school because he seems confused about the Independence struggle" to the extent of defending the communists.

Noh, who is Selangor Umno deputy liaison chief, said that Mohamad Sabu was putting his party agenda ahead of national interests.

He was speaking to reporters at the Tanjung Karang Umno Aidilfitri open house which was attended by about 10,000 people.

In Kuala Lumpur , Deputy Finance Minister Dr Awang Adek Hussin called on PAS to state its stand on the views expressed by Mohamad Sabu.

Awang Adek, who is deputy Kelantan Umno liaison chief, said that PAS should make clear where it stood especially after DAP chairman Karpal Singh had himself described Mat Sabu's statement as ill advised and asked him to retract it.

In Tasek Gelugor , Penang Umno deputy liaison chief Datuk Musa Sheikh Fadzir said the difference of opinion between PAS and the DAP on the Bukit Kepong issue showed that there was disharmony among the opposition leaders.  

- Bernama