Who’s lying, now?

Mahathir is blaming the police for the arrests of 106 under the ISA during Ops Lalang in 1987.

And today, ex-IGP Hanif Omar has come out to corroborate Mahathir’s claims, reports Malaysiakini.

“You can’t blame him. He is right. As a matter of fact, it was entirely the police’s decision. It was not his (Mahathir’s) decision. Mahathir was actually opposed to it… He was against Ops Lalang”, Hanif is reported as saying.

In October, 2004, after he had been released from Sungai Buloh the previous month, after his appeal to the Federal Court in respect of his Sodomy I conviction was allowed, Anwar spoke at the Bar Council auditorium.

After he had spoken for about an hour, during Q&A, I reminded Anwar that in 1986, Musa Hitam had resigned as deputy prime minister, citing differences as opinion with his boss, Mahathir, on several issues. I then reminded Anwar of several incidences that had occurred from the time he had joined Mahathir’s administration in 1982 up to his sacking, including the matter of Ops Lalang, and asked what Anwar had done to avert all of these incidences and if he had done nothing, why had he not, like Musa resigned?

On the matter of Ops Lalang, Anwar said that on the eve of the day that the arrests were carried out, he went to see Mahathir to implore him not to carry the same through. Anwar said that Mahathir responded by saying that he (Anwar) had little understanding of matters of national security.

The explanation proffered by Anwar is simply at odds with Mahathir’s claim and Hanif’s corroboration.

Who’s fibbing?

My gut feel is that Mamak Kutty is, but the question then arises, why is Hanif jeopardising his own reputation for this past-the-shelf-life politician?

courtesy of People's Parliament