Former inspector-general of police (IGP) Musa Hassan said a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) into the Memali incident would hopefully bring justice to the police personnel killed in the bloody clash.

“Many parties want the Memali RCI to be set up so that the descendants of the tragedy can get justice, but forget the police personnel who lost their lives.

“That’s why I agree that the RCI be set up, so that the police who were killed can get justice, and whoever is behind Memali be exposed to the people of Malaysia,” he was reported telling Sinar Harian when contacted.

He urged those who are uninformed of the incident to read the government’s white paper, as the police had already conducted an investigation into the clash between the police and PAS supporters of Kedah PAS leader Ibrahim Mahmud, alias Ibrahim Libya.

“If you don’t believe the white paper, who would we believe?” said Musa.

The former IGP defended the actions of the police in the 1985 incident that took place in the Kedah village.

“In fact, the police had gone to Kampung Memali several times to ask the anti-government group to surrender, however, they were resistant,” he added.

The long forgotten Memali incident once again made headlines after Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi mentioned it while attacking former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad in a speech in Baling, followed by the fracas that erupted at a Bersatu forum when Mahathir was responding to a question on the tragedy.

Former PAS leader and now Amanah vice-president Salahuddin Ayub has criticised the Islamist party for urging for the RCI instead one on the 1MDB scandal, saying they were more interested in attacking Mahathir.