The claim of an unauthorised “commando-style” intrusion in Masjid Rusila, a mosque widely associated with PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang, has drawn concern among party supporters — many of whom drew historical parallels with the 1985 Memali tragedy, a deadly standoff between police and villagers that remains etched in the collective memory of PAS’s grassroots.
For PAS loyalists, Memali is not just a historical event — it is a trauma that symbolises state persecution of their faith and leadership. And because Hadi Awang’s own residence stands adjacent to Masjid Rusila — a site where he regularly delivers sermons — many supporters instinctively linked the alleged intrusion to deeper suspicions about the government’s intentions.
Takiyuddin Raises Alarm in Parliament
The controversy erupted on October 22, when Perikatan Nasional chief whip and PAS secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan raised concerns in Parliament over what he described as a “commando-style” presence by uniformed personnel at Masjid Rusila in Marang, Terengganu.
He claimed that on September 29, between 10 and 15 individuals, allegedly from the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), arrived in five vehicles and entered the mosque compound without permission.
“When confronted by the public, they said they were police. They entered the mosque wearing shoes, intruded into the women’s prayer area, and conducted searches — causing great discomfort among those present,” Takiyuddin told the Dewan Rakyat.
He further revealed that a document titled “Pemakluman Latihan Pelarian dan Pelolosan (SERE) Kursus Asas Komando STAR Team Siri 1/2025” was later found, suggesting the activity was part of a commando training module.
“What is this?” he asked. “A commando exercise in a mosque without the knowledge of the mosque committee?”
MMEA: It Was Just a Tactical Exercise — Not a Raid
The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) swiftly denied the allegations, calling them baseless and damaging to the reputation of the country’s elite security unit.
Its director-general, Maritime Admiral Datuk Mohd Rosli Abdullah, said the incident was simply a misunderstanding arising from a Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) tactical training exercise involving its Special Task and Rescue (STAR) Team.
“Maritim Malaysia has never and will never use houses of worship as locations for raids or enforcement operations,” he said.
Rosli clarified that the mosque was merely used as a resting place for trainees to perform Asar prayers before continuing their next assignment.
“The mosque authorities were informed beforehand, and no disturbance occurred to worshippers or religious activities,” he insisted.
He also noted that the misunderstanding with the mosque management had since been resolved amicably.
Mosque Committee Disputes MMEA’s Explanation
However, the Rusila Mosque Committee contradicted MMEA’s claim.
Its chairman, Mohd Azri Abdul Aziz, told Free Malaysia Today on October 23 that no written or verbal notice had been received from MMEA about any planned training.
“We were not informed about any such activity. There was no application or notice given to us regarding the training,” he said.
He added that the committee lodged a police report after verifying that MMEA had not conducted any official operation on the date in question.
According to Mohd Azri, only after the report was made did MMEA call the mosque to apologise and clarify the situation.
Home Minister: A Misunderstanding, Not a Raid
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail later clarified that the incident involving the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency had already been resolved following a meeting between the mosque management and the agency.
He said the episode stemmed from a misunderstanding related to a training exercise conducted by MMEA’s elite unit .
The Home Minister also confirmed that police had classified the case as no further action (NFA) after reviewing the CCTV recordings, which showed nothing unusual.
Still, neither the Home Minister nor the MMEA provided clear details on what exactly the misunderstanding was — whether the training actually took place within the mosque compound, nearby, or whether it was simply misinterpreted by those who witnessed it.
Rusila and Hadi: The Symbolic Nexus
To understand why the issue resonated so deeply, one must grasp the symbolic weight of Masjid Rusila.
Hadi Awang’s residence is located right beside the mosque, and he has long used it as his religious and political base.
For decades, Hadi’s weekly tazkirah sessions there have drawn thousands of followers, turning the small seaside mosque into a spiritual nerve centre of PAS’s Islamist movement.
So when news spread that unidentified personnel had entered the mosque compound wearing shoes and “conducting searches,” many PAS supporters perceived it not merely as a procedural lapse — but as an affront to their leader’s sanctum.
No wonder, then, that many immediately evoked the spectre of Memali, framing the Rusila incident as part of a recurring pattern of state aggression against PAS figures.
Memali’s Shadow Returns
In Parliament, Takiyuddin compared the Rusila episode to the 1985 Memali tragedy, where 18 people — including four policemen — were killed during a violent clash between police and followers of preacher Ibrahim Mahmood (Ibrahim Libya), a PAS member.
The comparison struck a deep emotional chord among PAS supporters but drew criticism from observers who viewed it as politically exploitative.
One MP from PAS’s own ranks, Pendang MP Awang Hashim, went further, suggesting the possibility of a plot to assassinate Hadi Awang — a statement that even Takiyuddin distanced himself from, saying he would not make such “extreme assumptions.”
Still, outside Parliament, Takiyuddin continued to link the incident to concerns about Hadi’s personal safety, claiming “various suspicious activities” had taken place near the mosque.
Political Overtones and Unanswered Questions
The episode has since been politically weaponised by PAS leaders to portray the unity government as indifferent, if not hostile, to their movement.
Critics argue that such rhetoric — especially the invocation of Memali — risks inflaming sectarian fear and mistrust among PAS’s rural base.
Conclusion: Between Memory and Manipulation
From Memali to Rusila, the through-line is clear — PAS continues to frame state power as a potential threat to its faith and leadership, even when the facts point to a misunderstanding.
Whether the Rusila episode was an honest lapse in communication or a politically amplified controversy, it shows how easily Malaysia’s historical wounds can be reopened — and how a mosque tied to one man’s legacy can once again become the stage for a national reckoning over trust, faith, and power.
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