Operasi Lalang, 34 years on
GOVERNMENTS that continue to use draconian repressive, preventive laws that are undemocratic, unjust and tyrannical shudder at the voices of the rakyat demanding for good governance, equality, integrity, accountability and freedom.
This day, 34 years ago on October 27, 1987, will forever be etched in my mind and the minds of many family members as D-Day of Operasi Lalang, a ‘weeding’ operation conducted by the then Barisan Nasional Government to weed out voices of dissent labelling them as a “threat to national security”.
My father, P. Patto together with leaders like Karpal Singh, Lim Kit Siang, Lim Guan Eng, V. David, Kerk Kim Hock, Sim Tong Hin, Hu Sepang, Mahfuz Omar, Yunus Ali, Mohammad Sabu, Khalid Samad, Anthony Rogers, Meenakshi Raman, Chee Heng Leng, Theresa Lim and even Tajuddin Abdul Rahman belonged to the Ops Lalang alumni and what painful memories it brings me today.
The list ranged from Members of Parliament and State Assemblypersons to lecturers, engineers, educationists, environmentalists, women’s rights leaders, religious leaders, rubber tappers, a vegetable seller, a market hawker, chairman of a factory union, businessmen and human rights defenders were all scooped in the biggest haul by the Malaysian authorities in October 1987 – a total of more than 106 men and women.
Their charges? To uphold human rights, democracy, freedom and to demand for accountability and good governance.
My father was detained under the then International Security Act (ISA) 1960 on October 27 and had five charges pitted against him.
He was detained for 15 months without trial, no opportunity to defend himself and held illegally by trumped up charges by a paranoid Government.
His party comrades faced the same situation too, with Lim Kit Siang and Lim Guan Eng detained on October 26 and were the last to be released amongst their peers.
Silencing voices of opposition and dissent
The primary identity of the ISA was to be used as a preventive detention law which is detention without trial to counter and combat communist insurgents.
Although the Malayan Emergency ended in 1960, the ISA was passed in the same year and was arbitrarily used and abused by the Government for decades after that – as and when it pleased to silence voices of opposition and dissent.
Although abolished in 2012 after growing nationwide and international protests, the ISA was inevitably replaced by other regressive laws in Malaysia such as the Prevention of Crime Act (POCA) and the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (SOSMA).
A Government that falls back on using regressive, preventive laws like SOSMA shows that it not only fears the people but fears the essence of what a Government is built on – democracy, freedom, equality, justice, integrity, accountability and good governance.
While we sometimes look at human rights violations and the use of these ‘detention without trial’ laws in other countries and shake our heads in dismay, let us also be reminded of the same laws that we have in our country and the imminent risk of that law being used on anyone, including you and me.
If Maria Chin Abdullah can be detained in solitary confinement for 10 days under SOSMA, if state assemblymen P Gunasekaran and G Saminathan can be detained under SOSMA, and if scores of Malaysians can be held under this draconian law, then what assurance do we have that our own family members will not be next?
Malaysia has adequate laws to nab criminals, including those in organised crimes and in gangs and there is no leeway or shortcut for criminals.
You must face the music for your actions.
However, arrested with no proof or evidence and kept in custody for an uncertain period of time must be challenged by all Malaysians and regressive laws like SOSMA must be abolished.
SOSMA and other regressive and draconian laws like the Sedition Act 1948 must be abolished in its entirety and not used as a political tool by the powers that be.
A Government that continues to use regressive, draconian and preventive laws against her people are the ones threatening Parliamentary democracy in the country.
The Government of Keluarga Malaysia which is now a newly minted member of the UN Human Rights Council must show the world and other counterparts in the council that we walk the talk and not merely lip service. – Oct 27, 2021
Kasthuri Patto is DAP Member of Parliament for Batu Kawan and International Secretary for Wanita DAP
Their charges? To uphold human rights, democracy, freedom and to demand for accountability and good governance.
My father was detained under the then International Security Act (ISA) 1960 on October 27 and had five charges pitted against him.
He was detained for 15 months without trial, no opportunity to defend himself and held illegally by trumped up charges by a paranoid Government.
His party comrades faced the same situation too, with Lim Kit Siang and Lim Guan Eng detained on October 26 and were the last to be released amongst their peers.
Silencing voices of opposition and dissent
The primary identity of the ISA was to be used as a preventive detention law which is detention without trial to counter and combat communist insurgents.
Although the Malayan Emergency ended in 1960, the ISA was passed in the same year and was arbitrarily used and abused by the Government for decades after that – as and when it pleased to silence voices of opposition and dissent.
Although abolished in 2012 after growing nationwide and international protests, the ISA was inevitably replaced by other regressive laws in Malaysia such as the Prevention of Crime Act (POCA) and the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (SOSMA).
A Government that falls back on using regressive, preventive laws like SOSMA shows that it not only fears the people but fears the essence of what a Government is built on – democracy, freedom, equality, justice, integrity, accountability and good governance.
While we sometimes look at human rights violations and the use of these ‘detention without trial’ laws in other countries and shake our heads in dismay, let us also be reminded of the same laws that we have in our country and the imminent risk of that law being used on anyone, including you and me.
If Maria Chin Abdullah can be detained in solitary confinement for 10 days under SOSMA, if state assemblymen P Gunasekaran and G Saminathan can be detained under SOSMA, and if scores of Malaysians can be held under this draconian law, then what assurance do we have that our own family members will not be next?
Malaysia has adequate laws to nab criminals, including those in organised crimes and in gangs and there is no leeway or shortcut for criminals.
You must face the music for your actions.
However, arrested with no proof or evidence and kept in custody for an uncertain period of time must be challenged by all Malaysians and regressive laws like SOSMA must be abolished.
SOSMA and other regressive and draconian laws like the Sedition Act 1948 must be abolished in its entirety and not used as a political tool by the powers that be.
A Government that continues to use regressive, draconian and preventive laws against her people are the ones threatening Parliamentary democracy in the country.
The Government of Keluarga Malaysia which is now a newly minted member of the UN Human Rights Council must show the world and other counterparts in the council that we walk the talk and not merely lip service. – Oct 27, 2021
Kasthuri Patto is DAP Member of Parliament for Batu Kawan and International Secretary for Wanita DAP
https://focusmalaysia.my/wp-content/uploads/250px-Stadium_TPCA_-_perhimpunan-1-888x632.jpg
ReplyDeleteWakakaka..KT may not realise the irony... but the key person damned by the photo he posted of the TPCA Stadium UMNO rally October 17 , 1987 is his Idol Najib Razak.
Najib Razak was reported to have drawn a keris and threatened to bathe it in Chinese blood.
"Keluarga Malaysia"? Our politicians are fond of nice sounding slogans to lull the gullible that love is in the air.
ReplyDeleteWe are now in the UN Human Rights Council? Now, some MACC guy is on the Board of Governors of an international anti corruption organisation.
It does not say much of these organisations, does it?