Dark days: Malaysia carrying out the broadest crackdown on opposition & activists since era of strongman Mahathir

With sedition dragnet, Malaysia takes step back to Mahathir era – Reuters, September 7, 2014
… Phil Robertson, Asia deputy director of Human Rights Watch, said the prosecutions were reminiscent of so-called Operation Lalang in 1987 under Mahathir, when more than 100 opposition politicians and activists were arrested under an old Internal Security Act (ISA) which allowed detention without trial.
“The parameters are basically the same – you are using an antiquated draconian law to go after the opposition,” he said…