Penang government calls off event to mark 30th anniversary of Ops Lalang

Pakatan Harapan Chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was the Home Minister at the time

(The Star) – The Penang government has called off an event meant to mark the 30th anniversary of Ops Lalang citing the Tanjung Bungah landslide and the Juru bus crash as the reason.

It was supposed to be on Saturday and Sunday but the state postponed it indefinitely on Wednesday.

State exco member Jagdeep Singh Deo announced the postponement while conducting a press conference on housing issues.

They ISA detentions included politicians, NGO members, activists, intellectuals, priests and student leaders. Some of them would end up being detained for two years without trial.

The licences of three national newspapers – The Star, Sin Chew Jit Poh and the now defunct Watan – were also withdrawn.

Ex-premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was the Home Minister at the time.

Among those held for up to two years were DAP leaders Lim Kit Siang, his son Guan Eng and the late Karpal Singh.

In a press conference about the forum on Oct 20, a day before the Tanjung Bungah landslide, Guan Eng said the state government had wanted to invite Dr Mahathir to the forum but that he had a prior engagement and would not be able to make it.