Mohamad bin Sabu, commonly known as Mat Sabu, is a Malaysian politician who is the founder of National Trust Party, a component party of the Pakatan Harapan coalition. Mat Sabu was formerly the deputy president of the 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 6 May 2015, Mat Sabu and other progressive PAS leaders referred to as the G18 were ousted at the 2015 PAS Muktamar. This led them to launch Gerakan Harapan Baru, which took over the dormant Malaysian Workers' Party, after their attempt to form a new party called Parti Progresif Islam was rejected by the Home Affairs Ministry. GHB was later rebranded as Parti Amanah Negara with Mat Sabu as its first President. Mat Sabu is known for his public speaking abilities. He was detained twice under Malaysia's now repealed Internal Security Act.
Education
Mat Sabu attended school in Penang before continued his studies at MARA Institute of Technology in Diploma in Culinary Arts. However, he did not complete the course.
He was detained twice under the Internal Security Act : from 1984 to 1986 under charges of being involved in extremist movements, and from 1987 to 1989 as a result of Operation Lalang, an operation that remains controversial in Malaysian politics. He was detained in the Kamunting Detention Center together with Lim Kit Siang and his son Lim Guan Eng of the Democratic Action Party. During his two years in the detention centre, Mat Sabu entered into a friendship with the father and son and defended the duo and their party from accusations of racism in 2017.
Minister of Defence
In the 14th Malaysian General Elections in May 2018, Pakatan Harapan won. On 13 May 2018, Prime MinisterTun Dr Mahathir Mohamad named three key members of his Cabinet along with a Council of Eminent Persons. Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia president Muhyiddin Yassin was made Home Minister, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng was appointed Finance Minister, while AMANAH president Mat Sabu was named Defence Minister. On 28 June 2018, Mat Sabu announced that Malaysia will withdraw its troops stationed in Saudi Arabia to reflect the country's neutrality in the region.
On 21 August 2011 during a speech in Gelugor, Penang, Mat Sabu stated that it was Muhammad Indera and the 200 Malayan Communist Partyguerillas who participated in the Bukit Kepong Incident in 1950 who deserved to be proclaimed as national heroes and not the police officers who died defending the Bukit Kepong police station, claiming that the police officers were "British officers" and the CPM members were the "true national heroes" as they "fought the British". A video of the speech was uploaded on YouTube and received mainly negative responses, as the statement was regarded as an insult to the family members of the deceased policemen, 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. On 30 August 2011, Karpal Singh, the Bukit Gelugor MP at the time, responded by saying that the 25 policemen who died were true patriots and that Mat Sabu's statements were ill-advised. However, PAS denied all the allegations and defended Mat Sabu's statement and claims. On 1 September 2011, Mat Sabu also dispute the services of Sergeant Hassan defending the homeland. On 20 September 2011, his home was splashed with kerosene and burned. His home in Section 19, Shah Alam was occupied by his son. His wife Normah Alwi took care of his parents who were admitted to Kangar Hospital, Perlis. A police report was lodged at Section 15 of the Police Station, Shah Alam. On 21 September 2011, Mat Sabu was charged under Section 500 of the Penal Code at the Butterworth Sessions Court for aggravating the image of their police and their families in a talk at Padang Menora on Aug 21, 2011. Lawyer Mohamed Hanipa Maidin said Mat Sabu was released on bail of RM15,000 until the day of trial. If convicted, Mohamad can be jailed up to two years, or fined or both.
On 31 July 2018, Mat Sabu revealed to the press that only four of the Royal Malaysian Air Force’s 18 Russian fighter jets were operational. This revelation was criticized by the veterans organisation Patriot and its president Arshad Raji as improper as it revealed the Royal Malaysian Air Force's level of preparedness.
Son arrested by the police
On January 5, 2019, Mat Sabu's son, Ahmad Saiful Islam Mohamad, was arrested with 100 others for testing positive for drugs in Kuala Lumpur. The case is being investigated under Section 15 of the Dangerous Drug Act 1952 for drug abuse.
Family
On February 17, 2011, Mat Sabu's mother, Halijah Mat, died at Kampung Guar Petai, Tasek Gelugor, Seberang Perai, Penang. His mother had been attacked by three strokes. Her body was held at the Padang Menora Mosque. Mohamad Sabu has seven siblings, namely Fatimah, Abdullah, Zainab, Sofiah, Mohamad, Kasim and Zaleha.
