Tomorrow is the 28th anniversary of one of the worst massacres in modern Malaysian history, when government forces opened fire on harmless farmers in a small village in Kedah.

In the early hours of Nov 19, 1985, several Police Field Force units surrounded Memali, before launching an attack on a small group of villagers holed up in one house. By noon, 14 men had been murdered in cold blood. Four police personnel also died under friendly fire.

The object was to detain one man, the charismatic and influential ustaz (religious leader) - also a successful radio and TV commentator - popularly known as Ibrahim Libya.