The vendetta spills over into the realm of the dead, with Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi rejecting the possibility of bringing back Chin Peng’s ashes to Malaysia.
Referring to the police and army personnel who perished in the battle against Chin Peng’s communist forces, he said those who had lost their loved ones would not agree to such a request.
Zahid (left) said the hatred towards the communist lingers and not even the passing of the former Communist Party of Malaya's secretary-general would change that.
"Chin Peng's death cannot extinguish the hate, particularly among the widows of police officers and army men towards the communist terrorist leader.
"It is impossible for veteran cops and military men to accept his body or even his ashes to be buried in Malaysia," he toldMalaysiakini when contacted.
Regardless of what Chin Peng's sympathisers thought of him, the Umno vice-president said the former would always be a terrorist as far as the government was concerned.
"Chin Peng is not a freedom fighter as claimed by certain political parties, NGOs or individuals. He was a communist terrorist who cannot be accepted on this soil," he stressed.
Zam: Don't allow a monument
Meanwhile, former information minister Zainuddin Maidin (left) said Chin Peng's ashes should not be allowed back into the country as it might become a symbol for paying homage.
"What is the purpose? Later, someone may want to build a monument over his ashes (at the burial site)," he told Malaysiakini.
Zainuddin said if Chin Peng's ashes was allowed back, there might even be a similar request from fellow ex-communist leader Rashid Maidin's family for his body, which is buried in Thailand, to be brought back.
"But his relatives or the Malay community have not made such a request because they appreciate the sensitivity of the rakyat and the sacrifices of our fighters," he said.
Zaid: Be compassionate
However, former law minister Zaid Ibrahim (right) called for compassion in this matter.
"Chin Peng wanted to die here, his birthplace, and we had agreed to this earlier when the (peace) agreement was signed.
"The government then reneged and refused to honour (the) agreement. Now it's just his remains, we should allow him to rest in peace (in Malaysia)," he told Malaysiakini.
Chin Peng's former comrade had said that the ex-communist leader, who was in exile in South Thailand since the 1960s, wanted to beburied in his hometown of Setiawan.
Referring to the police and army personnel who perished in the battle against Chin Peng’s communist forces, he said those who had lost their loved ones would not agree to such a request.
Zahid (left) said the hatred towards the communist lingers and not even the passing of the former Communist Party of Malaya's secretary-general would change that."Chin Peng's death cannot extinguish the hate, particularly among the widows of police officers and army men towards the communist terrorist leader.
"It is impossible for veteran cops and military men to accept his body or even his ashes to be buried in Malaysia," he toldMalaysiakini when contacted.
Regardless of what Chin Peng's sympathisers thought of him, the Umno vice-president said the former would always be a terrorist as far as the government was concerned.
"Chin Peng is not a freedom fighter as claimed by certain political parties, NGOs or individuals. He was a communist terrorist who cannot be accepted on this soil," he stressed.
Zam: Don't allow a monument
Meanwhile, former information minister Zainuddin Maidin (left) said Chin Peng's ashes should not be allowed back into the country as it might become a symbol for paying homage."What is the purpose? Later, someone may want to build a monument over his ashes (at the burial site)," he told Malaysiakini.
Zainuddin said if Chin Peng's ashes was allowed back, there might even be a similar request from fellow ex-communist leader Rashid Maidin's family for his body, which is buried in Thailand, to be brought back.
"But his relatives or the Malay community have not made such a request because they appreciate the sensitivity of the rakyat and the sacrifices of our fighters," he said.
Zaid: Be compassionate
However, former law minister Zaid Ibrahim (right) called for compassion in this matter."Chin Peng wanted to die here, his birthplace, and we had agreed to this earlier when the (peace) agreement was signed.
"The government then reneged and refused to honour (the) agreement. Now it's just his remains, we should allow him to rest in peace (in Malaysia)," he told Malaysiakini.
Chin Peng's former comrade had said that the ex-communist leader, who was in exile in South Thailand since the 1960s, wanted to beburied in his hometown of Setiawan.
Meanwhile, PAS central committee member Dzulkefly Ahmad said although he disagreed with Chin Peng's ideology and "excesses" of the CPM, Malaysia must show willingness to forgive, especially on Malaysia Day.
"The British and Japanese have their excesses too, yet we not only forgive and forget, but we even embraced them. Chin Peng fought against the Japanese and later the British imperialists and was even bestowed an honourary award by the Queen (of England).
"It is only fair and dignified for the nation on her Malaysia Day to be magnanimous to him," said Dzulkefly.
"The British and Japanese have their excesses too, yet we not only forgive and forget, but we even embraced them. Chin Peng fought against the Japanese and later the British imperialists and was even bestowed an honourary award by the Queen (of England).
"It is only fair and dignified for the nation on her Malaysia Day to be magnanimous to him," said Dzulkefly.
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