In 1951, rookie CID officer Yuen Yuet Leng survived a communist ambush despite being shot. Later that year, he survived another shooting while raiding a communist base.
Yuen (right) would eventually rise through the ranks to become Perak police chief and later Sarawak police chief, where he battled insurgents in both states.
Even after taking two bullets and having fought the communists for most of his career, Yuen bore no grudges against Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) secretary-general Chin Peng, who passed away this morning.
"In war, we were long-standing ideological enemies, with negotiated peace we were mutually more respectful and understanding of our once conflicting stands. Now with death, I can only say: Rest in peace, my friend," he told Malaysiakini.
Chin Peng, born Ong Boon Hua in 1924, died in Bangkok this morning of natural causes.
Yuen (right) would eventually rise through the ranks to become Perak police chief and later Sarawak police chief, where he battled insurgents in both states.Even after taking two bullets and having fought the communists for most of his career, Yuen bore no grudges against Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) secretary-general Chin Peng, who passed away this morning.
"In war, we were long-standing ideological enemies, with negotiated peace we were mutually more respectful and understanding of our once conflicting stands. Now with death, I can only say: Rest in peace, my friend," he told Malaysiakini.
Chin Peng, born Ong Boon Hua in 1924, died in Bangkok this morning of natural causes.
After the peace treaty was signed in 1989, Chin Peng lived in exile in Southern Thailand. The Malaysian government had forbidden his return, despite allowing 340 of his comrades to do so.
The government had accused him of being a member of a banned organisation with a history of perpetrating terrorism.
Chin Peng later mounted a long, but unsuccessful court process to facilitate his return. The court had ruled that Chin Peng had failed to exhibit his citizenship papers.
As for Yuen, he believed that the government should look into the merits of allowing his remains to be returned to his place of birth and show forgiveness.
"I'm quite sure you understand that the racial and political situation at the moment, particularly in the context of Umno politics. It would be most difficult for the government, even if they can understand (the significance), to consider it," he said.
He said that doing so would be "very positive" for the government because it would clear a lot of prejudice and affirm that Islam is a forgiving religion.
"But if they can't, it is because of politics, which is a problem," he said.
The government had accused him of being a member of a banned organisation with a history of perpetrating terrorism.
Chin Peng later mounted a long, but unsuccessful court process to facilitate his return. The court had ruled that Chin Peng had failed to exhibit his citizenship papers.As for Yuen, he believed that the government should look into the merits of allowing his remains to be returned to his place of birth and show forgiveness.
"I'm quite sure you understand that the racial and political situation at the moment, particularly in the context of Umno politics. It would be most difficult for the government, even if they can understand (the significance), to consider it," he said.
He said that doing so would be "very positive" for the government because it would clear a lot of prejudice and affirm that Islam is a forgiving religion.
"But if they can't, it is because of politics, which is a problem," he said.
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