'Let CPM leader's remains return to Malaysia'

The government should allow the remains of Communist Party Malaya (CPM) secretary-general Chin Peng to be brought back to the country. 

Not doing so does not augur well for Malaysia's reputation in signing international treaties, said senior lawyer Karpal Singh.

Karpal (left) said the 1989 Hatyai Accord was one of the treaties signed by Malaysia with the CPM and Thai authorities.

"It does not befit the government not to recognise and honour the treaty. Others (CPM members) had already returned," he told reporters at the sidelines of a court case in Kuala Lumpur today.

While Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar had commented there were doubts over Chin Peng's citizenship, Karpal argued that Chin Peng had a Malaysian birth certificate and had never renounced his citizenship.

Karpal said he knew that the former communist leader had made various applications through the courts to return back to Malaysia since 2005 but had been unsuccessful.

The argument in court was that the Home Ministry required Chin Peng, whose real name is Ong Boon Hua, to produce his birth certificate.

However, the former communist leader stated that it was lost during the Emergency period and it was for the government to produce it.

"The verification of his birth certificate can be made by his friends and family who could act as deponents. He was born in Sitiawan, Perak, and had never renounced his citizenship," said Karpal who had earlier this month urged that Chin Peng be allowed back.

"The communists had fought for the British against the Japanese occupation. If it were not for them, who knows - maybe Malaysia would still be under the Japanese.

"Regardless of this, we have forgiven the Japanese for their atrocities in World War II and it is only proper that Chin Peng is accorded that," he added.

Hence, Karpal suggested letting bygones be bygones and allow the remains of Chin Peng to be brought back.

However IGP Khalid has ordered that border security be stepped up to prevent Chin Peng's remains, or ashes, being brought back to Malaysia.

Lacking magnanimity

Seputeh MP Teresa Kok (below) also joined in the call for the government to “reconsider” its decision not to allow Chin Peng’s remains to be brought back.

In a statement, the DAP parliamentarian said that in 2009, the former communist leader had reportedly apologised to the victims and families of the CPM’s “acts of violence” during the insurgency.

“I emphasise that calling for or allowing Chin Peng to be buried in his birthplace does not mean expressing support or sympathy for the communist cause.

“Neither does it mean that we are ignoring the feelings of the people, including the retired police association, who cannot accept Chin Peng’s remains or ashes to be brought home.”

She added that be going back on the 1989 Hatyai treaty showed that the government “lacked magnanimity”.

Meanwhile, Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng said while he is leaving the matter of the return of Chin Peng’s remains to Malaysians “to make their own wise judgement”, he expressed concern over the time and resources to be spent on law enforcement in denying its entry into the country.

He wants is calling on Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar to furnish details as to the types of measures to identify whether the ashes belong to Chin Peng, additional cost incurred for the operation at all entry points into Malaysia and the total duration of the ban on Chin Peng's remains.

He also wished to know if this constitutes “a blanket ban on all types of ashes from now on”.