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By Suaram

In commemoration of the 19th anniversary of Operasi Lalang, and amidst the escalating tension between the prime minister and his predecessor, we Civil Rights Committee and Youth Section of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH ), Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM), Writers Alliance for Media Independence (WAMI), Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) will organize a forum to reflect on the darkest period in Malaysia’s contemporary history. A reflection in history may help evoke the citizenry’s demand for justice. Only when what went wrong in the state apparatus are identified, we may part with the repressive state.

The details of the Forum are as below:

Date: 7th November 2006 (Tuesday)

Time: 8 pm

Venue: Auditorium, 1st Floor, KLSCAH

(1 , Jalan Maharajalela , 50150 Kuala Lumpur .)

(Next to the Monorail Maharajalela station)

For directions, please visit:

http://www.scah.org.my/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=261&forum=16&jump=1

*

Theme: Light Upon the Dark History

Speakers:

* Dr Kua Kia Soong (Operasi Lalang detainee; Principal, New Era College )
* Lim Guan Eng （Operasi Lalang detainee; Secretary-General ,Malaysia’s Democratic

Action Party ）

* Mr Sivarasa Rasiah (Vice President, Parti Keadilan Rakyat)
* Ms Sonia Randhawa (Executive Director, Centre for Independent

Journalism-CIJ)

Chair:

* Mr Wong Chin Huat (Vice chair, Civil Rights Committee, KLSCAH)

Language:

English and Malay, with subtitle and Q & A assistance in Chinese

We believe the best way to promote progress and openness in our society is to revisit and reflect on the wrongs in the authoritarian age, the most notable of which is the Operasi Lalang in the late eighties. Most ironically, the architect of Operasi Lalang has on the crackdown’s very anniversary accused the present government of running a police state and creating a ‘climate of fear’.

Therefore, there is no better time than now to revisit this dark episode in our history. If the public could articulate powerfully the demand for justice, for the present government to see the need and benefit to have a clean-break with the past, this would certainly be an important move towards ending authoritarianism in Malaysia .

The speakers will revisit and reflect on the developments preceding Operasi Lalang, its implications to democracy in Malaysia , as well as to share their own feeling during the period. What are the lessons to be learnt from Operasi Lalang? Was it that institutions in the political system were too weak to check power abuse? Or that the civil society was too embryonic to resist the state’s encroachment? How much has our nation changed in these senses to prevent another crackdown?

The Malaysian Bar Council has called upon to government to re-investigate the 1988 judicial crisis while Mr Tommy Thomas proposed the establishment of a ‘truth commission’. Echoing these calls, the Civil Rights Committee of KLSCAH has urged the government to set up two truth commissions to unveil the truth behind the 1988 Judicial Crisis and the 1987 Operasi Lalang respectively. Commemorating Operasi Lalang’s anniversary, Suaram has also urged the government to compensate ISA victims and their families. Along these lines, the speakers may enlighten the public on how the state may and should unveil the truth, mechanisms to declassify official secrets, restoration of reputations and compensation for victims, in a nutshell, ways to correct historical mistakes.

While the shadow of authoritarianism has refused to fade away, the prevalent power struggle has produced a crack in the regime, opening up possibilities for future reforms. An insightful revisit and reflection of Operasi Lalang will help the public to explore and imagine these possibilities. The attendance of your members will therefore be essential.

For futher info,please contact Mr Chan 03-22746645.
Thank you.