KUALA LUMPUR, May 4 — Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad apologised today to the families of those who died in the 1985 Kampung Memali incident in Kedah.

In a video posted on his Facebook page, Dr Mahathir said that he was sorry for making people angry over his use of harsh language to describe the deaths of the victims.

“In my speech, there were times when I said the wrong thing, I apologise for causing anger to certain parties,” he said.

Dr Mahathir said in a ceramah yesterday in Pantai Dalam that the Memali victims died in vain, using the Malay term “mati katak” to describe them.

In the video, Dr Mahathir asserted that PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang was responsible for the deaths of 14 civilians and four policemen on November 19, 1985.

“When I spoke about the incident, Hadi had first accused me of being involved in the deaths of the policemen and the people affected by the Memali tragedy,” he said.

"If Hadi had not said that dying when fighting the government is ‘mati syahid’, then the Memali incident would not have happened," he said.

Those who die defending Islam and Allah or in war are considered to have died as martyrs, or “syahid”.

He also explained that the Quran taught Muslims that it is wrong to take another person’s life.

“If we kill, God will be angry with us and this is why I am angry at Hadi, not anybody else,” said Dr Mahathir.

“Hadi was the one who brought about the deaths, not me. I was not involved. This is police action.

“I apologise once again to the families of the victims.”