Censorship is not a new thing. Even back in the old days of the British colony, it seems there was a ‘Gagging Act’ which was only abolished in 1835. That marked the birth of what was called the Free Press. However, 30 years ago today, we took a big step backwards. Let’s hope we can go forward now.

IT was a time of festivity. I was a newly-wed (well, six months into the marriage) and had, just days earlier, celebrated my first Deepavali as the man of the house. It was my new brother-in-law’s birthday and the new sister-in-law was about to have her wedding in three days.

Then, the axe fell.

On Tuesday, Oct 27, 1987, I went to bed a happy man. The air of festivity was still there and I was awestruck by the work done by my bosses in Petaling Jaya. They had produced a newspaper that I thought was really classy.

I woke up to a shock the next morning. The wife was sobbing by the bedside. She works in The Star, too.

“They have closed us down. We are out of work,” she said. That classy piece of work by the bosses had angered the powers that be.

It took a while for the reality to sink in. It was a blur. The rush to the office in Penang, the confirmation of the dreadful news, the long wait and hope that there would be an announcement of a quick return.

We waited. And waited. There was not going to be any quick return. Instead, there was news of more arrests. And even journalists were in fear. Anyone could be arrested.

We were paying the price for being brutally honest in our reporting. I was broke. The wedding and the Deepavali partying had taken their toll. It was to be five months of hardship.

There were some who offered sympathy. And there were those who were disdainful. One person said it served me right for choosing to become a journalist. “You should have been an estate manager or something!”

My colleagues and I trudged up and down offices in the hope of finding a job. I was told life was easier in Kuala Lumpur. There were job offers aplenty. In Penang, though, people had faith in the newspaper – maybe too much faith.

At every interview, I was asked if I would go back to my old job if The Star reopened. I said “yes” and the interview went downhill. No one wanted to hire a person who could walk out on you any day.

So, I became a carpenter – a fancy name for a contract labourer – carrying lumber up five storeys, sawing wood (a good thing they had electric saws) and even unloading lumber on rooftops with the help of a crane – and in pouring rain.

My co-worker buddy and I often got drenched while riding in the back of a lorry laden with wood.

Then, there was the screwing-in of hinges. Now, THAT was difficult.

Each hinge needed eight screws, there were five hinges on each door and we were building cue cabinets in a pool centre. There were more than a hundred such cabinets – and they did not have electric or battery-powered screwdrivers. Let me tell you, it was a real killer on the wrist.

Every day, I would look at the door of the centre, hoping someone would walk in to say that The Star was back.

Finally, in March, word came that we would soon be back. And the partying continued from where we left off in October. There was no money but the ah pek running the sundry shop next door was willing to extend me credit.

Colleagues gathered for news in the house, friends and relatives came over to ask if it was true and we ran up a huge bill with the ah pek. It took me months to repay the man.

I was transferred to Petaling Jaya after the reopening on March 25 but I had to go back every month to pay him. ATM transactions and Internet banking were not a thing yet.

Yes, it was tough, but not half as tough as it was for many others who spent months, even years, incarcerated for just speaking their minds.

Some of their stories, told in Star2 today, are heart-rending. It’s been 30 years but the memories are fresh. It should never happen again. No one should be jailed for speaking up, at least within reason.

Things became better after Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi took over as Prime Minister. Some leeway was allowed.

In 2012, the Printing Presses and Publications Act was amended. The licence for printing presses and permit for publications no longer had to be renewed annually. But the licence can be revoked anytime. It remains a Sword of Damocles over the heads of newsmen.

There has been some progress, though.

Malaysia was ranked 144th among 186 countries in the Worldwide Press Freedom Index issued by Reporters Without Borders this year, up from 146th position last year. But neighbours like the Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia and Myanmar fared better. Only Singapore was worse. And we were ranked 131st in 2009.

The writer, who can be reached at raj@thestar.com.my, has to thank the readers in Penang. A rival newspaper opened its plant there but the readers stayed faithful. They bought the rival paper on Sundays, though – to read the week’s TV listings. Those were days before pay TV and the Internet.