PAS has slammed Pakatan Harapan chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad's "mati katak" (died in vain) remark, in regards to those who died in the Memali tragedy.

The Islamist party's deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man told a press conference in Kota Bharu that the former premier's statement was an insult to the deceased, their families, and Malaysians in general.

"We see even the Kedah sultan has paid a visit to the graves of the deceased.

"If the tragedy's victims died in vain, does it mean that the sultan's act (of visiting the graves) was not right?

"Mahathir and Harapan are now desperate, to resort to an issue that is decades old. To PAS, Mahathir's allegation exceeds Islamic and Malay manners," Tuan Ibrahim said.

Read more: Dr M apologises to Memali families, blames Hadi for deaths

Mahathir told a ceramah in Pantai Dalam last night that the 14 PAS supporters who were killed in the Memali tragedy in 1985 had died in vain, and not achieved martyrdom.

He had said that it PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang's "Amanat Hadi" that had caused the tragedy to happen, as his message had instigated the supporters to kill policemen who are "infidels."

Meanwhile, Tuan Ibrahim said Mahathir should meet the families of those who perished in the incident and seek forgiveness, instead of continuing to harp on the issue.

"The Memali tragedy is not something to be made fun of. Earlier, Mahathir's son, Mukhriz, had met the families to seek forgiveness, but I told him that it is Mahathir who should do it, not him.

"But I'm sure a person like Mahathir will not apologise," said Tuan Ibrahim.

He added that he was surprised that there are parties who are trying to put Mahathir in the office again, as "I don't see him as someone who has repented for his past mistakes".