DESPITE his assertions that he was not behind Operasi Lalang, former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad must take responsibility for the oppression, injustice and lies surrounding the massive police dragnet 30 years ago, say ex-detainees and their family members.

Dr Anne Munro-Kua, the wife of former activist Kua Kia Soong who was detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) during Operasi Lalang, said society must not allow Dr Mahathir, who was prime minister and home minister during the time, to feign innocence about his role in the mass arrest of opposition politicians, activists and educationists.

“Ops Lalang was clearly orchestrated. I am still angry… I am angry at the level of injustice and the lies, and that he does not have to apologise, (it) amazes me,” said Anne during an event in Kuala Lumpur commemorating the 30th Anniversary of Ops Lalang.

“That’s the very least from one human being to another.”

Kua, a former DAP lawmaker, was one of the 106 people detained on suspicion of being threats to national security. He has repeatedly demanded that Dr Mahathir take responsibility for Ops Lalang.

For Tania Jo Maliamauv, the pain and suffering caused by Ops Lalang is clearly etched in her memory despite the fact that none of her family members were detained in the operation.

Her mother, the late Irene Fernandez, was one of the founders of the support group for family members of Ops Lalang detainees.

While other six-year-olds were learning their alphabets, her first sentence was “detention without trial”, said Tania.

She also often saw “pictures that my friends drew for their moms and dads in detention”.

Even though Fernandez, who is also the founder of human rights group Suaram and rights group Tenaganita, was never detained, the family lived in fear,

“We also learned that anytime my mother could be arrested. At the time they could just come for anyone. So there was fear,” she said.

Tania said Dr Mahathir had to take responsible for what happened as he was the one behind Ops Lalang.

“I think what Dr Mahathir failed to do or realise was, he was the person behind the oppression in the country. He was already the prime minister when I was born.

“We have Proton and Twin Towers and yes, symbolically, he has done a lot but we failed to realise that he had oppressed a lot during his reign, scarred a lot of people, put a lot of people behind bars.

“Dr Mahathir has to apologise. There’s no two ways about it.

“He can say he is now has converted. (But) he still has to apologise as a person, not as an institution. If he has changed he has to apologise,” she said.

Also present at the sharing session today were Kota Melaka MP Sim Tong Him, Book publisher Chong Ton Sin, Subang MP Sivarasa Rasiah and Bersih chairman Maria Chin Abdullah.

Chandra Muzaffar, who was also detained under the ISA, said in his interview with The Malaysian Insight that an apology from Dr Mahathir does not serve any purpose.

“I have suggested that Dr Mahathir be introspective and look at himself and his career – the good and bad things he has done,” he said.

He also said that he has no bitterness towards Dr Mahathir.

“There are some people who still want to carry the wounds, but I don’t think that’s the way,” he said.

Dr Mahathir has said many of those detained under Operasi Lalang were good people, admitting that 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 told The Malaysian Insight.

Dr Mahathir, however, has given no indication that he will apologise to the very people he is close to now, despite the issue being brought up many times in the past. – October 28, 2017.