Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) president Mohamad Sabu used to be one of former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad's biggest critics, especially with regard to the Memali tragedy.

Asked today whether Mahathir should apologise over the incident as suggested by PAS, Mohamad said it was up to the nonagenarian to do so, stressing it was now purely an election issue.

"That is up to him, I cannot give my view on it," he told reporters at a press conference after officiating Federal Territories Amanah's convention in Kuala Lumpur today.

When asked whether Mahathir should apologise to calm the situation after the incident was recently raised again, Mohamad pointed out how Mahathir was a "wise man" and that the issue of Memali had long been resolved.

"What is there to calm down? The issue has long abated."

He said the incident was only raised now because of the upcoming general election.

"The issue will only crop up when the election is coming. Once the election is completed, the issue will die down," he added.

Mohamad also cited the time when the issue was raised when Umno veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah established Umno splinter group Semangat 46 in 1988.

Mahathir, who was prime minister at the time of the tragedy, has steadfastly denied responsibility for the bloody clash between the police and supporters of PAS leader Ibrahim “Libya” Mahmood on Nov 19, 1985.

The incident took place when police attempted to arrest the religious scholar - suspected of heading a "deviant" sect - at his camp in the Kedah village.

14 villagers including Ibrahim, and four police personnel perished in the conflict.

Mahathir had for a long time insisted he was not in the country when the clashes occurred.

In 2014, he finally admitted to being in Malaysia, but insisted responsibility should fall on Musa Hitam, who was both acting prime minister at the time as well as the home minister in charge of the police.

'Why not RCI on 1MDB?'

Meanwhile, on PAS, which called for a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) into the tragedy, Mohamad said Amanah has no qualms about it.

"But (that doesn't mean) we support PAS. Commissions must also be formed to investigate 1MDB, that is the most popular (case). Why is there silence (from PAS) with regard to that?"

Following PAS' call for an RCI into the tragedy, Amanah deputy president Salahuddin Ayub had claimed the Islamist party was harping on the issue first raised by Umno's de facto deputy president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for political gain.

Salahuddin claimed PAS leaders had already made peace with the authorities over the three decades-old tragedy, and that the present party leaders were likely playing it up now to attack Mahathir and to gain Malay support.

PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man however last night denied this and insisted that it was merely a quest for justice.

On another matter, asked for his comment on Persatuan Hindraf Malaysia's (PHM) possible collaboration with Pakatan Harapan, Mohamad said the matter will be discussed during the coalition's upcoming meeting on August 28.

"If it is in the agenda, we will discuss it. Any decision will be made based on consensus," he said.

Mohamad said Amanah will listen to arguments on the matter and discuss the it further before making a collective decision.

It was reported that Harapan chairperson Mahathir met PHM chief P Waythamoorthy last week to discuss possible collaboration .

Mahathir was quoted as having admitted the Indian community was not well represented in Harapan.