FOR two groups of politicians who crossed swords and whose politics were as different as day and night, months of detention broke down barriers and led to enduring friendships.

After the dust had settled following Ops Lalang where 106 politicians, social activists and educationists were detained under the now-defunct Internal Security Act (ISA), DAP leaders found themselves sharing prison space with PAS politicians.

Former PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu better known as Mat Sabu remembers the time at the Kamunting detention centre well.

He was the cook at the centre and that vocation paved the way for a friendship with senior DAP leaders, such as Lim Kit Siang, Lim Guan Eng that has stood the test of time.

“Yes, because I was the cook, and we talked and shared conversations every day,” Mat Sabu told The Malaysian Insight in an interview about his experience of being detained without trial under the ISA three decades ago.

For Mat Sabu, who is now the president of Amanah, the experience of being detained under Ops Lalang created an unspoken bond between PAS and DAP.

When several PAS leaders left the conservative Islamic party to set up Amanah, the friendship and comradeship continued into the newly formed Pakatan Harapan coalition.

Mat Sabu said after getting to know the leaders better in Kamunting, he finally understood their struggle.

“We’ve been close with them since Ops Lalang, we know them. DAP is highly respectful of the constitution. The rights enshrined in the constitution are what they are defending.

“They believe that whatever changes need to be made, must be made through the constitution. This is what I know about DAP,” said the veteran politician.

He said after being released from Kamunting, his friendship with DAP secretary-general Guan Eng flourished.

“After Ops Lalang, Guan Eng faced charges after he defended an underage girl who claimed to have been victimised by a Malacca politician. After that, he (Guan Eng) was found guilty and jailed.

“So for me, it is the fight for the truth, regardless of religion. They are not into racial issues, as they have been wrongly labelled.”

Below are excerpts from the interviews:

TMI: What happened before Ops Lalang 1987?

Mat Sabu: Before Ops Lalang 1987, PAS was looking for a way to work with the Chinese ahead of the 1986 general election. At that time, the organisations which wanted to work with PAS were small, such as CCC (Chinese Consultative Council), Nasma party, workers’ party.

At that time, MCA and Umno were also playing up racial issues heavily. Umno with its agenda of Malay supremacy, and Lee Kim Sai, deputy president of MCA and a Selangor exco, was demanding that the deputy prime minister post be held by a Chinese.

DAP was playing up the issue of language and education. So, there was racial tension.

We thought DAP and MCA were aligned, but later on realised they were heading into different directions. But that was what we saw then.

MCA organised gatherings at Chinese assembly halls and temples by inviting academics to speak on their rights in the issue of language and a Chinese deputy prime minister.

Umno, on the other hand, held even larger gatherings and were planning on organising a half-a-million-strong gathering.

Umno Youth organised a gathering at stadium TPCA under its leader Najib Razak. One of the banners read: “Drench the keris in Chinese blood”.

In the pouring rain, their speeches were fiery, including from Najib, Fahmi Ibrahim and current Pasir Salak MP Tajuddin Abdul Rahman. Their speeches were full of racist rhetoric.

A private Adam went amok in Chow Kit. In that tense situation, there were lots of rumours going around. It was then that Ops Lalang was launched.

This was a result of Umno and MCA. Nothing to do with opposition parties.

We have said from the start that the ISA is a political tool. Out of all who were detained, including me, Najib ran off to Indonesia, Lee Kim Sai ran to Australia.

Umno leaders who were caught, including Fahmi and Ibrahim Ali, were just placed in lock-ups, and not in Kamunting.

Those in Kamunting were PAS and DAP leaders, including Kit Siang, Guan Eng, Karpal Singh, Tan Seng Giaw, Lau Dak Kee and many more, including Chinese school leaders.

When we’re all in the same place, that’s how we started getting to know each other better. Before that, we knew Karpal Singh, Kit Siang, but from afar.

So you can imagine how close this relationship between myself, Mahfuz (Omar), Khalid Samad, Suhaimi Said and Guan Eng, Karpal, Kit Siang and also Tan Seng Giaw. It was there that we got to know each other better.

TMI: While at Kamunting, what was your role? Some people said you were the cook?

Mat Sabu: I was the cook. I’m not very keen on sports. Neither am I keen on gardening. And coincidentally, they all liked my cooking.

TMI: Who liked your cooking?

Mat Sabu: Everyone, including Karpal Singh, Kit Siang, Lau Dak Kee. At that time, raw ingredients from outside were allowed into the camp once a week.

When they (PAS supporters and detainees’ families) brought meat and fish, I would cook. After more than a year in camp, I managed to save quite a bit as a cook.

They would pay 80 sen a day as wages. After that it went up to RM1.40. But during that time, 80 sen was a lot.

TMI: So, your job as a cook helped to create a close relationship with DAP leaders?

Mat Sabu: Yes, because I was the cook and also because of the daily conversations we had. Different leaders have different interests.

Kit Siang and Karpal liked to read. Mahfuz liked to talk and play. Guan Eng liked to read and play sports. Khalid Samad liked to debate and give speeches. Guan Eng had a hot temper then.

TMI: What was the layout in the camp like?

Mat Sabu: It was dorms in blocks and separated according to race and religion. I was lucky to be placed in the wooden block, because it wasn’t so hot.

We shared the lawn with the block holding the DAP leaders. We ate together with them.

During Hari Raya, I led the Hari Raya prayers and delivered the sermon. The most ardent follower of my sermons was the DAP leader Lau Dak Kee, who listened while sitting on a prayer mat wearing shorts. The others just watched from afar.

In the wooden block which I lived in, there were about 30 inmates. In the stone block, there was Yusof Husin, Cecilia Ng, Dr Nasir Hashim and others.

During Ops Lalang, more than 100 were caught but not many were detained in Kamunting. – October 25, 2017.