Yesterday, Oct 27, is the 13th anniversary of Operasi Lalang, the ill-fated day for more than 100 innocent and upright Malaysians who were arrested and detained under the infamous Internal Security Act (ISA).
The detainees included academics, politicians, religious leaders, social activists and others who simply believed in fighting for truth and justice.
Although Operasi Lalang was a particularly abhorrent application of the ISA in Malaysia's recent history, it should be borne in mind that it is not the only instance that the draconian law was used to oppress the people and violate their basic human right to a fair and public hearing before an independent tribunal.
Both before and after Operasi Lalang, the ISA have been used - and abused - by the Barisan Nasional (BN) government to defend its position and protect its own interests. Not long after the ISA was introduced by government and following Indonesian Confrontation, hundreds of leaders and members of PRM, Labour Party, PAS and the National Convention Party (NCP) were detained, many for long years.
In the early 70s, conscientious citizens who dared to question the government's lack of action in the face of abject poverty were arrested and detained. In recent years, the ISA has been used to detain people ranging from Shiite Muslims to supporters of former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim.
In addition to violating the rights of detainees, the ISA is also a cruel law that deprives families of their loved ones, which very often result in broken families. Moreover, it instills fear in the hearts of many Malaysians, thus indirectly curbing their rights to freedom of expression and their right to participation in the democratic governance of their own country.
The right to a fair and public hearing is not merely a trite legal principle, but a fundamental principle of justice. Hence, this cruel and draconian law which allows for arbitrary detention should not have been inherited from the British and implemented in Malaysia at all.
For the BN government to maintain that the ISA is required for the sake of national security, it is not only an insult to the people's sense of justice, but it is also an insult to every citizen's intelligence.
Recently, on Oct 19, when some law-abiding and peace-loving citizens attempted to submit memoranda to members of parliament, the BN government further insulted the people of Malaysia by denying them their democratic right to visit the Parliament.
After 40 cruel and oppressive years under the ISA, the time for the repeal of this draconian law is long past due. On this 13th anniversary of Operasi Lalang, we, once again, urge the government to do the right thing by abolishing the ISA.
JONSON CHONG, a former coordinator of human rights group Suaram, is organising secretary of Parti Rakyat Malaysia.