Cops investigating group that brought in Chin Peng's ashes

Police are investigating a group who had reportedly brought in the remains of former Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) secretary-general Chin Peng from Thailand to Malaysia.

Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department (CID) director Huzir Mohamed said the group was identified based on media reports of their press conference held in Ipoh yesterday.

"We have opened an investigation paper and we requested assistance from Perak police.

"Perak police have confirmed with us their entry point and the date of entry," Huzir told a press conference at Bukit Aman today.

Huzir said ongoing investigations are being carried out to determine the exact method used to bring in Chin Peng's ashes that were later scattered in Perak.

The incident is being investigated under Section 504 and 505b of the Penal Code, as well as Section 233 of the Multimedia and Communications Act.

Section 504 and 505(b) deal with insults intended to provoke a breach of peace and statements likely to cause public fear, while Section 233 of the Multimedia Communication Act deals with improper use of network facilities.

Coordinator of a group which handled Chin Peng's remains, Chai Kan Fook, 81, yesterday revealed that the ashes were brought in from Thailand to Malaysia on Sept 16.

Chai had said the ashes were scattered in the sea near Lumut, as well as in the jungles of the Titiwangsa mountain range. There are no monuments to commemorate the sites.

Chin Peng, the nom de guerre of Ong Boon Hua, was born in Sitiawan, Perak, in 1924. Following the disbanding of the CPM, he had lived in exile in Thailand.

Deputy Home Minister Azis Jamman stressed that the police was not aware about the effort to bring Chin Peng's ashes back to Malaysia, nor was any permission given.

"How can the police know? We were not informed... We only knew about it when they did the press conference.

"No permission was given to bringing Chin Peng's ashes to Malaysia," he said to reporters in parliament today.

He said that the previous government had decided against allowing Chin Peng's ashes to be brought back to Malaysia, and this government had not changed from that stance.

 - Mkini