Dr M: It was a police decision

Dr Mahathir maintains that he was not happy initially with the mass crackdown by the police, but they said it was necessary.

THIRTY years after Operasi Lalang, former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad continues to insist that the decision to arrest 106 people and shut down three newspapers was purely a police decision and that he had little choice but to go along.

However, his personal perspective on many of those arrested in the operation has changed with the passage of time and circumstance.