Operasi Lalang - 30th Anniversary

Operasi Lalang was a major crackdown carried out beginning 27 October 1987 by the police to prevent the occurrence of racial riots. 119 persons were detained without trial under the Internal Security Acts. These 119 persons were politicians, NGO activists, intellectuals, students and others.

The background issues were as usual the race and religion related issues that had a cumulative effects in raising ethnic tension.   The last straw that broke the camel's back was the Ministry of Education's decision to send some 100 non-Chinese educated senior assistants and supervisors to Chinese medium primary schools. Concerns were raised by the Chinese politicians and Chinese educationist and related organisations on the future policies and direction of these schools.

On 11 October 1987, a 2,000 strong gathering was held by the United School Committees Association of Malaysia at the Hainanese Association Building. It was joined by politicians from Chinese-based political parties of MCA, DAP and Gerakan.

This event had provoked the UMNO Youth into a mass rally of 10,000 at the TPCA stadium in Kampung Baru on 17 October 1987 led by A Jib Kor.

To make matters worst, a Malay soldier killed a Malay injured two other persons with an M16 riffle in the Chow Kit area on 18 October 1987.

While the then Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir were abroad, some UMNO leaders called for the holding of a mammoth rally in Kuala Lumpur on 1 November 1987.

On 27 October 1987 was launched to defuse racial tension that was said to have reached a dangerous level. 119 persons were arrested; 3 newspapers, the Star (English), Sin Chew (chinese) and Watan (Malay) were suspended; a nationwide ban on any gathering and rally was imposed.

Of the politician arrested, 3 were UMNO members, 8 MCA, 5 Gerakan, 15 PAS, 16 DAP and 2 PSRM. A mixture of Malay, Chinese and Indian.

In the last few days, several articles were written about Operation Lalang and some had demanded an official apology from Dr. Mahathir over this issue. But no one has looked into the picture of what would have happened to the country if Dr. Mahathir had not put in place the operation. Many of those that were arrested could have disappeared if there was a racial riot.

Sometimes I just wondered what would have happened on the day of 13 May 1969 if Tunku Abdul Rahman had a similar 'Operasi Lalang' well before that day.