On the thirtieth anniversary of the "Operasi Lalang" in 1987, DAP's father and son team Lim Kit Siang and Lim Guan Eng have released statements recalling the dark episode, but make no mention whatsoever of the man behind the dragnet, former premier and their current ally Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

In a press statement this afternoon to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the crackdown, the elder Lim described the episode as the darkest days for democracy and human rights.

“There was not only the arrest of 106 Malaysians, including opposition leaders – 16 of whom were from DAP, including MPs and state assemblypersons – trade unionists, social activists, environmentalists, Chinese educationists and religious workers.

“There was also the wholesale attacks on press freedom with the closure of three newspapers, the assault on the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law and the series of undemocratic legislation which caused a tectonic shift in the Malaysian political landscape, subordinating the legislative and judicial branches to the executive.

“Operation Lalang in 1987 brought the fragile plant of Malaysian democracy to the brink of ruin and disaster,” he said, training his guns on Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak instead, urging Malaysians to vote for change.

Kit Siang said the country was facing another crisis, added with the infamy of being regarded worldwide as a global kleptocracy.

According to Lim, democracy in Malaysia can only be fully restored if there is a change of government at the national level.

Guan Eng, in a press statement, recalled being the "first to be detained and last to be released" under the operation.

"I have constantly reminded myself that we must never give up the struggle to free Malaysia from political persecution and repressive legislation. Although it has been 30 years since Operasi Lalang, which was the second largest ISA crackdown since the 13 May riots in 1969, our nation continues to be tormented by similar draconian laws that suppress our fundamental liberties," he said, citing new preventive laws, such as the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (SOSMA), Prevention of Crime Act 1959 (Poca) as examples.

He said the government had time and again used the laws to quell political opposition, despite its promises saying otherwise.

Guan Eng, too, however, did not make a single mention of Mahathir and his links to the Ops Lalang.

"We owe it to our future generations to ensure that Ops Lalang should never happen again, including repealing those repressive laws which are ISA laws in disguise. Only by bringing in a government that is committed to abolishing all these laws that violate the fundamental human rights, can we ensure that Malaysians finally enjoy real freedom, especially freedom from fear.

Mahathir, who has never apologised for the ISA dragnet, told the Malaysian Insight in a recent interview that many of those detained were good people and he had demonised them to win elections.

"When I was in the government, I vilified them because I wanted to win the elections. But they’re not as bad as I had made them out to be then.

"Now I am together with them. And I have become close to them," he said.