WHAT'S WRONG: Jeff Ooi defends Bangkok trip to pay respects to Chin Peng

GEORGE TOWN -  A DAP member of parliament today defended his visit to Bangkok to pay respects to the late Communist Party of Malaya leader Chin Peng, who passed away on Malaysia Day earlier this week.

Jelutong MP Jeff Ooi said he went to pay his respects to the 88-year-old in his personal capacity "as an avid reader of Malaysian history".

"I have no feelings as I didn't live in the age of brutal war against Japanese invaders nor the civil war during the Insurgency.

"But I do have strong feelings over how the Thai and Malaysian sides respected the 1989 Hatyai Peace Accord which both countries anchored to fruition.

"All parties who participated in ending the civil warn must be accorded with due respect as peacemakers," he said when contacted via Facebook today.

Ooi had posted photographs of his trip to pay respects to Chin Peng, on the popular social networking site.

In one of the photographs, Li Hanming, a special assistant to state DAP chairman Chow Kon Yeow, was also seen alongside Ooi, paying his last respects to Chin Peng.

Their visit to pay respects to Chin at the Wat That Thong Temple received coverage from a Thai publication, Kwong Wah eNews.

Chow, when contacted, said Li had gone to Bangkok in his own personal capacity.

"Yes, I was aware of Li's trip. He had gone there in his personal capacity, and was neither representing me nor the party," he said.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had reportedly said there was no need to honour Chin, who was responsible for the death of thousands during the Emergency period in Malaya decades ago.

He had said the people should understand the victims' feelings over the atrocities committed by the communists, which left many civilians dead.

Najib was quoted as saying that "as far we are concerned, we do not give respect and honour to those responsible for the death of thousands".

Chin Peng, whose real name is Ong Boon Hua was reported to have died at a hospital in Bangkok earlier this week due to old age, a month before his 89th birthday. He was born on Oct 21, 1924 in Sitiawan, Perak.

NST