Done Deal Govt Pn Agree To Close Chapter On Mmea Rusila Mosque Row

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PARLIAMENT | Government and opposition representatives have agreed to put to rest grievances surrounding a Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) training exercise involving the Rusila mosque in Marang, Terengganu.
The seemingly amicable resolution was reached following Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail’s explanation of facts on the matter, after which opposition chief whip Takiyuddin Hassan (PN-Kota Bharu) offered to consider the issue “settled”.
Prior to the extension of peace, Saifuddin (above) reiterated denials against the exercise being a raid or attack, highlighting that police officers had met PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang’s (PN-Marang) staffers to explain the matter.
The meeting with the Marang MP’s office, Saifuddin told the Dewan Rakyat today, came after the mosque’s committee lodged a police report on the incident.
“(The MMEA personnel) were carrying out ‘survival, evasion, resistance, and escape’ training. There are elements where they must avoid capture by their trainers - if they are caught, they fail and cannot be commandos. There are also elements of disguise requiring them to blend in.
“When they arrived at the (Rusila) mosque, they stopped to perform their prayers. If you look at the CCTV, you’d see them running, hurrying towards their motorcars - their aim was to avoid being detected by the trainers,” Saifuddin said in his winding-up speech on Budget 2026.
MMEA personnel performing prayers at the Rusila mosque during the training exerciseHe noted that while police were informed of the exercise, the nature of the training prevented MMEA from spreading details, as it would have defeated the purpose of holding such events.
The minister admitted that while the actions of the MMEA officers might have looked “suspicious” and caused “a reaction” from the mosque committee, it remains “completely untrue” to label the event as a raid or attack, as police had immediately sought to clarify the situation.
Disclosing that the Batu Buruk assemblyperson and officers from Hadi’s office had accepted that the training was a “necessary and reasonable” course, Saifuddin expressed disappointment over how certain quarters had later distorted the issue.
“The matter, however, was later presented and interpreted as if it were a raid or attack, with a very emotional tone, even suggesting it was training to target certain figures. It turned into that.
“There is reason to look at this calmly - no need to exaggerate or overreact,” the minister lamented.
No bad intentions
Takiyuddin had previously claimed that the MMEA had conducted an exercise at the Rusila mosque - an action he compared to the 1985 Memali incident, a tragedy that occurred after the police tried to arrest PAS leader Ibrahim Mahmood and his followers.
PN chief whip Takiyuddin HassanThe PAS MP had also questioned whether the exercise at the mosque next to Hadi's house implied that an operation to harm the party president was underway.
Interjecting in Saifuddin’s speech today, Takiyuddin had then asserted that he had merely used the Rusila mosque incident as an example to question the government on the standard operating procedures for when a government enforcement agency conducts training.
Insisting that he had no bad intentions in issuing the query, the PAS secretary-general said he was asked to raise the matter by Marang constituents, considering how the Rusila mosque is a “sensitive place to conduct activities” under certain circumstances.
“There was absolutely no intention to blame government officers, much less members of security forces.
“We’re just asking that next time, it can be avoided. Even though we are the opposition, as long as things are done according to the law, with letters or proper notice to the relevant parties, that’s enough,” he added.
Noting that he deems Saifuddin as a friend, Takiyuddin then said: “Consider (the matter) settled - done deal, no issue between us.”
Following a brief shouting match between backbencher Sany Hamzan (Harapan-Hulu Langat) and PAS MP Awang Hashim (PN-Pendang), Saifuddin then managed to thank Takiyuddin for opting to end the conflict, “as long as we understand the facts as they are.” - Mkini

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