Death Railway compensation issue simmers on

Former Perak menteri besar Mohamad Nizar Jamaludin (below) had reportedly insisted that the Japanese government had paid RM207 billion to the Malaysian government, disclosing documents purportedly to prove his point.

The sum is meant to be compensation for forced Malayan labourers working on at the Thailand-Burma Railway during the second World War and their heirs, but they claimed to have never received the money.

Among others, one of the documents is a purported memo from the Finance Ministry to the Thailand-Burma Railway Former Labourers and Heirs Welfare Association, dated March 29, 2011.

"We are pleased to inform that the claim to disburse RM207 billion has been referred for government approval and further action; the Attorney-General and the Ministry of Human Resources have been informed of this process," said the letter, as quoted in PAS party organ Harakah Daily's online edition yesterday.

Another document that Nizar reportedly disclosed was purportedly from the Attorney-General's Chambers to the association.

"For your information, the issue needs to be referred to the cabinet for approval. The cabinet paper is being prepared for further action," it said.

Nizar had previously claimed that the Japanese Embassy to Malaysia had confirmed paying thecompensation for labourers of the infamous ‘Death Railway', from which some 30,000 Malayans survived the ordeal.

However, the embassy's second secretary Takaharu Suegami laterdenied that such a confirmation was issued.