PUTRAJAYA, Oct 23 — Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail today clarified that the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (APMM) commandos who stopped at Masjid Rusila, Terengganu, last month were in the middle of a training exercise — not conducting any “raid” as alleged by opposition politicians.
He said the group, part of APMM’s elite commando training, had merely stopped to perform Azhar prayers during a survival and evasion module that required trainees to move covertly across checkpoints from Kuala Berang to Kuantan.
“They stopped at Masjid Rusila to pray. That’s all. I’ve seen the CCTV footage myself — nothing extraordinary,” Saifuddin said during a press conference at the ministry’s headquarters.
The minister explained that a police report was only lodged 10 days later, on September 29, by the mosque’s imam.
Police subsequently engaged both the mosque management and Marang MP Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang, who is also PAS president, to resolve the matter.
“The police found there was no wrongdoing. It ended amicably but some MPs took it too far in Parliament — suggesting the officers had ill intent. That was excessive,” he said.
Saifuddin added that MPs should act responsibly when raising sensitive security matters to avoid inflaming public sentiment.
“They linked this to past racial tragedies. That’s irresponsible. Let’s not drag the country backwards just for political mileage,” he said.
The minister urged all parties to allow the APMM to continue its specialised commando training without unnecessary controversy, stressing that the agency plays a vital front-line role in countering maritime threats, from smuggling to illegal fishing.
