Mohamad Sabu

Haji Mohamad Sabu (born 14 October 1954), commonly known as Mat Sabu, is a Malaysian politician, formerly serving as the former deputy president of the opposition Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party. He was elected to the post in 2011, running on a moderate platform against the conservative incumbent Nasharudin Mat Isa. He had previously served as one of the party's vice-presidents. He was the first non-alim elected to the party's leadership or deputy leadership in over 25 years.

On July 13 2015 he launched a new political movement Gerakan Harapan Baru (GHB).

Mat Sabu is known for his public speaking abilities. He has been detained twice under Malaysia's Internal Security Act.

Election results

Controversy

Statement over the Bukit Kepong incident

On 21 August 2011 during a speech in Gelugor, Penang, Mohamad Sabu made a statement saying that it was Muhammad Indera and the 200 Malayan Communist Party (CPM) soldiers during the 1950 Bukit Kepong Incident who deserved to be claimed as national heroes and not the police officers who fought to their deaths defending the Bukit Kepong police station, claiming that all police officers during the massacre as the "British officers" and the CPM soldiers are "true national heroes" as they "fought the British". The speech, which video had been widely circulated in YouTube, had caused negative responses, as the statement was regarded as an insult to the family members of the deceased victims, 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.