Mohamad Sabu

Early life and education

Mohamad bin Sabu was born at Tasek Gelugor, Penang, Federation of Malaya on 14 October 1954. Mohamad Sabu has seven siblings, namely Fatimah, Abdullah, Zainab, Sofiah, Mohamad, Kasim and Zaleha. On 17 February 2011, Mat Sabu's mother, Halijah Mat, (91 years old) died at Kampung Guar Petai, Tasek Gelugor, Seberang Perai, Penang. She had suffered three strokes. Her body was held at the Padang Menora Mosque.

Mat Sabu attended Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Bukit Mertajam in Penang before continued his studies at MARA Institute of Technology (now Universiti Teknologi MARA; UiTM) in Diploma in Food Technology. However, he did not complete the course and was dismissed due to students' movement circa 1971–1975.

Political career

NGO and PAS

Mat Sabu's political career began when he joined the Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (ABIM) in 1975. He joined PAS in 1981. He had served as Deputy President of PAS, a former component party of the former Pakatan Rakyat (PR) and Barisan Alternatif (BA) opposition coalitions, from 2011 to 2015. He was elected to the party deputy presidency in 2011, running on a moderate platform against the conservative incumbent Nasharudin Mat Isa. He had also served as the party vice-president prior to his election as the party Deputy President. He was the first non-alim elected to the party leadership or deputy presidency in over 25 years.

AMANAH

On 6 May 2015, Mat Sabu and other progressive PAS leaders (referred to as the G18) were ousted at the 2015 PAS Party leadership election. They then launched Gerakan Harapan Baru (GHB) and took over the dormant Malaysian Workers' Party (PPPM), after their attempt to form a new party called Parti Progresif Islam (PPI) was rejected by the Home Affairs Ministry. GHB was later rebranded as Parti Amanah Negara (AMANAH) with Mat Sabu as its first President.

Minister of Defence

In the May 2018 general election (GE14), Pakatan Harapan had successfully won to form the new government. On 13 May 2018, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad named three key members; Muhyiddin Yassin of BERSATU as Home Minister, Lim Guan Eng of DAP as Finance Minister, while Mat Sabu of AMANAH as Defence Minister in his Cabinet along with a Council of Eminent Persons (CEP).

On 28 June 2018, Mat Sabu announced that Malaysia will withdraw its troops stationed in Saudi Arabia to reflect the country's neutrality in the region.

Controversies

Operation Lalang

He was detained twice under the Internal Security Act (ISA): from 1984 to 1986 under charges of being involved in extremist movements, and from 1987 to 1989 as a result of Operation Lalang, an operation that remains controversial in Malaysian politics. He was detained in the Kamunting Detention Center together with Lim Kit Siang and his son Lim Guan Eng of the Democratic Action Party (DAP). During his two years in the detention centre, Mat Sabu entered into a friendship with the father and son and defended the duo and their party from accusations of racism in 2017.

Statement over the Bukit Kepong incident

On 21 August 2011 during a speech in Gelugor, Penang, Mat Sabu stated that it was Muhammad Indera and the 200 Malayan Communist Party (CPM) guerillas who participated in the Bukit Kepong Incident in 1950 who deserved to be proclaimed as national heroes and not the police officers who died defending the Bukit Kepong police station, claiming that the police officers were British officers and the CPM members were the true national heroes as they fought the British. A video of the speech was uploaded on YouTube and received mainly negative responses, as the statement was regarded as an insult to the family members of the deceased policemen, as well as other national heroes not affiliated with the CPM such as the late Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman and UMNO founder Dato' Onn Jaafar.

On 30 August 2011, Karpal Singh, the Bukit Gelugor MP at the time, responded by saying that the 25 policemen who died were true patriots and that Mat Sabu's statements were ill-advised.

However, PAS denied all the allegations and defended Mat Sabu's statement and claims.

On 1 September 2011, Mat Sabu also dispute the services of Sergeant Hassan defending the homeland.

On 20 September 2011, his home was splashed with kerosene and burned. His home in Section 19, Shah Alam was occupied by his son. His wife Normah Alwi (57) took care of his parents who were admitted to Kangar Hospital, Perlis. A police report was lodged at Section 15 of the Police Station, Shah Alam.

On 21 September 2011, Mat Sabu was charged under Section 500 of the Penal Code at the Butterworth Sessions Court for aggravating the image of their police and their families in a talk at Padang Menora on 21 August 2011. Lawyer Mohamed Hanipa Maidin said Mat Sabu was released on bail of RM15,000 until the day of trial. If convicted, Mohamad can be jailed up to two years, or fined or both.

Statement about Royal Malaysian Air Force jet fighter

On 31 July 2018, Mat Sabu revealed to the press that only four of the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF)'s 18 Russian fighter jets were operational. This revelation was criticized by the veterans organisation Patriot and its president Arshad Raji as improper as it revealed the RMAF's level of preparedness.

Personal life

On 5 January 2019, Mat Sabu's son, Ahmad Saiful Islam Mohamad, was arrested with 100 others for testing positive for drugs in Kuala Lumpur. The case is being investigated under Section 15(1)(A) of the Dangerous Drug Act 1952 for drug abuse. He was convicted on 24 June 2021 but the Kuala Lumpur High Court had on 27 October acquitted him by allowing his appeal to overturn the guilty verdict and eight-month jail sentence over the drug abuse case.

Election results

Honours

Honours of Malaysia

• Malaysia
  • [[File:MY Pingat Pertabalan Yang di-Pertuan Agong XVII ribbon.png|50px]] Recipient of the 17th Yang di-Pertuan Agong Installation Medal (2024)
• Federal Territory (Malaysia)
  • [[File:MY-FED Darjah Mahkota Wilayah - Grand Commander - SMW.svg|50px]] Grand Commander of the Order of the Territorial Crown (SMW) – Datuk Seri (2023)

Foreign Honours

• Russia
  • Medal of Spiritual Unity (2023)

Notes

References

References

1. Tan, Sharon. (2 June 2009). "Mat Sabu likes the "progressive" way". [[Malaysia Today]].
2. [http://www.thesundaily.my/news/2018/05/12/mat-sabu-renowned-speaker-minister "Mat Sabu, from renowned speaker to minister"], ''The Sun Daily'', 12 May 2018
3. Habibu, Sira. (4 June 2011). "PAS polls result: Mat Sabu is new deputy, ulama lose out". [[The Star (Malaysia).
4. Tan, Joceline. (5 June 2011). "Uncharted road ahead for PAS". [[The Star (Malaysia).
5. Jennifer Gomez. (13 July 2015). "'Purged' PAS leaders launch splinter movement". The Malaysian Insider.
6. FMT Reporters. (6 May 2015). "Seven rebel MPs ditch PAS for breakaway GHB". [[Free Malaysia Today]].
7. Ram Anand. (31 August 2015). "GHB to take over dormant Workers Party". The Malaysian Insider.
8. (31 August 2015). "GHB ambil alih Parti Pekerja Malaysia". [[Berita Harian]].
9. Adrian Lai. (31 August 2015). "GHB to form new Islamic party under existing political vehicle". [[New Straits Times]].
10. Khairunnisa Kasnoon. (31 August 2015). "Parti Amanah Negara jadi wadah politik GHB". [[Astro Awani]].
11. Rahmah Ghazali. (31 August 2015). "GHB announces setting up of Parti Amanah Negara". [[The Star Online]].
12. "Malaysia to withdraw troops stationed in Saudi Arabia".
13. [[Kasthuriraani Patto. Kasthuri Patto]], [https://www.malaymail.com/s/550875/the-ghost-of-the-internal-security-act-and-operasi-lalang-1987-continues-to The ghost of the Internal Security Act and Operasi Lalang 1987 continues to haunt and terrify a nation], http://www.malaymail.com, 27 October 2013.
14. [https://chinese.malaymail.com/chinese/malaysia/article/20171025-mat-sabu-know-deep-with-kit-siang-in-kamunting-detention-centre 在扣留营跟吉祥父子变朋友！末沙布：我知火箭不种族主义] {{Webarchive. link. (23 June 2018 , http://www.malaymail.com, 25 October 2017.)
15. (28 August 2011). "Waris tragedi Bukit Kepong tersinggung". [[Utusan Malaysia]].
16. (28 August 2011). "Mat Sabu's remarks an insult, says Muhyiddin". [[The Star (Malaysia).
17. [http://malaysianmirror.com/media-buzz-detail/6-nation/54670-bukit-kepong-tragedy-the-25-policemen-were-true-nationalists-says-karpal Bukit Kepong Tragedy: The 25 Policemen Were True Nationalists, Says Karpal], The Malaysian Mirror, 30 August 2011
18. "Isu sebenar ceramah Md Sabu". [[harakah]]daily.net.
19. Charles Ramendran. (6 January 2019). "Mohamad Sabu stands firm despite son's arrest". The Sun Daily.
20. V Anbalagan. (27 October 2021). "Mat Sabu's son freed of drug conviction". [[Free Malaysia Today]].
21. "Keputusan Pilihan Raya Umum Parlimen/Dewan Undangan Negeri". [[Election Commission of Malaysia]].
22. "KEPUTUSAN PILIHAN RAYA UMUM 13". [[Election Commission of Malaysia]].
23. "SEMAKAN KEPUTUSAN PILIHAN RAYA UMUM KE - 14". [[Election Commission of Malaysia]].
24. "The Star Online GE14". [[The Star (Malaysia).
25. "Mat Sabu kini bergelar Datuk Seri". Berita Harian.
26. (17 May 2023). "Mat Sabu receives Russia's Medal of Spiritual Unity". The Sun Daily.