OPPOSITION leader Anwar Ibrahim has revealed that the detention and incarceration of more than 100 political leaders and activists during Operasi Lalang in 1987 was due to the strain in racial relations caused by Umno Youth and MCA.

Anwar said most of the 106 people who were detained under the Internal Security Act were not involved in sparking racial tensions at that time.

Operasi Lalang, known as Ops Lalang, is the second biggest mass arrest since the May 13, 1969 racial riots and also saw the revocation of two dailies and two weekly newspapers’ publishing licenses.

“What led to Operasi Lalang in 1987 is the clash between Umno Youth and MCA, which led to racial unrest,” Anwar said at the Kuala Lumpur High Court today.

“At that time, (prime minister) Najib Razak was Umno Youth chief while MCA was led by Lee Kim Sai,” he said.

Anwar was called as a witness in a legal case by Bersih 2.0 chairman Maria Chin Abdullah against Red Shirts leader Jamal Yunos.

Lawyer Muhammed Nasser, who represented Jamal, had asked Anwar about the incident surrounding the arrest of Maria’s husband, Yunus Ali, under the ISA in 1987.

Anwar, who was then education minister and Umno vice-president, urged then prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to release some of the ISA detainees.

“After the arrests were made, on Sunday, I went to Dr Mahathir’s home at Seri Perdana and appealed for those who were innocent to be released.”

Anwar said then finance minister Daim Zainuddin witnessed the incident.

“I asked Dr Mahathir to free those who were not involved.

“Dr Mahathir said, ‘Anwar, security issues is under national security, it’s best we leave it to the police and special branch,” said Anwar.

Dr Mahathir was also the home minister at that time.

According to Anwar, after he appealed to Dr Mahathir, several social activists such as Dr Chandra Muzaffar and former Berita Harian group chief editor Ahmad Sebi were released after 60 days of detention.

Other detainees such as Amanah president Mohamad Sabu, DAP parliamentary chief Lim Kit Siang and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng were sent to the Kamunting detention centre in Taiping where they were detained for two years.

Others who were also sent to Kamunting included Amanah communications director Khalid Samad, Pokok Sena MP Mahfuz Omar and Suaram advisor Kua Kia Soong.

Anwar also told the court that he was once actively involved in student movements with Yunus during his days at Universiti Malaya in the 1970’s.

He said that they, along with another activist, Hishamuddin Rais, organised a demonstration in Kuala Lumpur on December 3, 1974. – January 24, 2018.