The DAP today pounced on the change in the codename Ops Gagak Hitam (Black Crow Operation) to Ops Nyah II' (Get Rid Operation II), calling on the police to explain what prompted the switch.

There is certainly a contradiction here: By changing the name suddenly, if it were the case, the police recognise the fact that the term  Gagak Hitam  was inappropriate, said DAP national publicity bureau secretary Gobind Singh Deo in a statement.

If that were the case, action should be taken against those who formulated the  Gagak Hitam  codename as well, he said.

He called on police chief Norian Mai to explain the change for fear of the public losing faith in the transparency of the police force.

Police, however, could not be contacted to clarify if they had indeed changed the name of the operation in hindsight.

Racist connotations

Migrants rights organisation Tenaganita and the DAP have been criticising the police naming of Ops Gagak Hitam  an operation last Friday against African nationals involved in criminal activities in the city  stating that it carried racist connotations.

Their objections may have penetrated through some authorities, for media reports today referred to the operation as Ops Nyah II'.

Since a riot involving Indonesian workers broke out in Negeri Sembilan last month, the authorities have been stepping up their campaign against non-locals.

The Home Ministry has since announced the cutting down on recruitment of Indonesians as well as rounding up African nationals accused of committing crimes in Malaysia.

Like its predecessor Ops Nyah I, Ops Nyah II is an ongoing exercise launched in the beginning of the 1990s. Ops Nyah I consists of police measures to prevent illegal entry while Ops Nyah II is aimed at flushing out illegals who have already found their way in.