Penang is hosting a forum and screening a short film in remembrance of the 30th anniversary of the 1987 Operasi Lalang crackdown on Saturday, Oct 28.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the forum will focus on the existence of regressive laws in Malaysia and the way forward to ensure human rights and civil liberties are protected by the powers of the state.

It is also to ensure that laws are not manipulated as a tool to instil fear in the hearts of patriotic citizens, Lim added.

Oct 27, 1987, will always remain a dark day in Malaysian history when the BN government, led by former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamed, launched a massive crackdown, detaining 107 men and women from all backgrounds and all walks of life under the draconian Internal Security Act (ISA).

Codenamed Operasi Lalang or weeding out operations, the mass arrests were intended to curtail the voices of dissent against the establishment, without any access to legal representation, nor were they brought to court to defend themselves.

“Laws should be used to enlarge freedom and democracy to ultimately allow Malaysians to enjoy freedom from fear,” said Lim, a former ISA detainee, who will be officiating the event.

He recalled that the charges of endangering national security slapped on the detainees were “baseless”.

Parliament opposition leader Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, DAP Gelang Patah MP Lim Kit Siang, Bersih chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah, Amanah president Mohamed Sabu and Pakatan Harapan legal bureau chief Gobind Singh Deo are the panelists for the event, to be held at the Eastern and Oriental Hotel, at 2.30pm. 

Asked if Mahathir was invited to the event, Lim said the former premier has a prior engagement and could not attend the forum.

When asked if Mahathir, who is now Harapan and Bersatu chairperson, should be held responsible for the detention, which happened under his watch, Lim said the matter would be discussed at the forum.

Lack of political will

Meanwhile, Lim said despite the ISA being repealed, the federal government has shown a lack of political will and insistence to uphold the spirit of the federal constitution.

“Instead it has resorted to Security Offences and (Special Measures) Act (Sosma) and Prevention of Crime Act (Poca) to continue to chock and stifle Malaysians from rightly exercising their fundamental liberties,” Lim said.

“There is no place in this day and age for preventive detention without trial.

“However, the very fact that laws like these are further strengthened and cemented by the Najib administration goes only to prove that BN’s chant on moderation and freedom is lip service when unjust laws like Poca and Sosma are passed,” he added.