Twenty one years ago, Operation Lalang was carried out on 27 October 1987 by the Malaysian police to crack down on opposition leaders, social activists, and religious leaders. The operation saw the infamous arrest of 106 persons under the Internal Security Act (ISA) and the revoking of the publishing licenses of two dailies, The Star and the Sin Chew Jit Poh and two weeklies, The Sunday Star and Watan.

Many asked: “Why Does The Wicked Get Away All The Time?

Twenty one years later, another crackdown has begun with three newspapers, Sin Chew Daily, The Sun and Suara Keadilan given show cause letters why action should not be taken against them. The first three arrests under the draconian ISA got under way on 12 Sept, that included Malaysia Today portal editor Raja Petra Kamaruddin, Sin Chew Daily journalist Tan Hoon Cheng and Selangor Exco member Y.B. Teresa Kok. Again our nation is engulfed by another dark cloud in our short history.

We are tempted to ask ourselves the same question we asked 21 years ago: “Why God?”

I suggest that this may not be the right question. Therefore, we may not get the answer we want. Perhaps we should ask, “How Lord, do you want me to respond?”

The Word of God holds forth promises of comfort, of redemption. There is reason to hope.

For instance, Psalm 37 responds to the problem of evil, which the Old Testament often expresses as a question: why do the wicked prosper and the good suffer? The psalm answers that the situation is only temporary. God will reverse things, rewarding the good and punishing the wicked here on earth.

Psa 37:1 Do not fret because of evil men
or be envious of those who do wrong;
2 for like the grass they will soon wither,
like green plants they will soon die away.
3 Trust in the LORD and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
4 Delight yourself in the LORD
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him and he will do this:
6 He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,
the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.
7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when men succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.

Therein lies the reason of our hope. History also tells us so. Both The Star and Sin Chew Daily have not only resumed publication but have gone on to become publishing phenomena. The Star is today the largest andmost profitable English newspaper in the country while Sin Chew has gone global to become the largest Chinese media group in the world outside of mainland China. Watan has just resumed publication.

Among the detainees, Y.B.Lim Kit Siang, Y.B. Karpal Singh, and Y.A.B.Anwar Ibrahim, have picked themselves up from the worst of times. They are not only folk heroes but have become statesmen in our time.

Yes, there is hope yet. But how then shall we live? The prophet Micah tells us: “O people, the LORD has already told you what is good,and this is what he requires: to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”

My colleague, Tan Hoon Cheng was picked up under the ISA. Her only crime is that she is a journalist trying her best to do her job. So it is also with RPK and YB Teresa Kok. Although Hoon Cheng has been released after 18 hours, rest assured, this is only the beginning.

Make no mistakes about it. We must register our outrage in the strongest possible terms until justice is done. We can act in no other way for our God is one of justice and righteousness. The ISA is an unjust and unrighteous piece of legislation without a doubt. Get rid of it. Free all ISA detainees. The LORD says: “…let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!” (Amos 5:24).

Psalm 37 closes with this promise in verse 40:
The LORD helps them and delivers them;
he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because they take refuge in him.

Amen. (By BOB TEOH/ MySinchew)