A 30-year-old love letter to Chandra Muzaffar


Noor Azam Shairi Gan Pei Ling

Yayasan 1Malaysia chairman Dr Chandra Muzaffar recounts his 52-day ordeal of detention under the Internal Security Act in 1987. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Kamal Ariffin, October 28, 2017.

October 27 marked the 30th anniversary of Operasi Lalang, which saw 106 people detained without trial and three newspapers’ publishing licence revoked. The episode is a grim reminder of what can happen in the absence of check and balance, and which has left a deep scar in the Malaysian psyche. To mark the day, The Malaysian Insight speaks to those involved in the dragnet – the victims and their families, detention centre wardens and police.

DR Chandra Muzaffar has carried a handwritten letter in his wallet for the past 30 years‎.


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