Operation Spectrum 1988

Here is an article of Operation Spectrum, which was used to arrest 22 social activists and professionals on the accusation that they were "Marxist conspirators". They were detained under the Internal Securities Act, without trial.  See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Spectrum.

Recently, I met Vincent Cheng and Teo Soh Lung, who were alleged to be the ring-leaders. They told me about his activities at that time (mainly as social workers to help people with difficulties) and their treatment under detention. Both are mild mannered and soft spoken and can hardly be considered as people capable of conspiring to overthrow the Government.

When the operation occurred in 1988, I did not follow the event closely. I was not active in the grass-roots or political work and not connected to the church. I did not have any source of information apart from the newspapers and was quite skeptical about what was being reported. There was no Internet at that time.

This kind of abuse of the Internal Securities Act is less likely to happen today, due to the availability of alternative media, such as the Internet, blogs and facebooks.

Tan Kin Lian