Dr M: Shamsiah and Rashid came back, why not Chin Peng's ashes?

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has questioned the motives of those playing up the repatriation of the remains of communist leader Chin Peng.

He pointed out other Communist Party of Malaya leaders had returned to Malaysia without a fuss, and other oppressors such as the Japanese occupation were also forgotten.

“It is not like we can do anything, only his cremains have returned. We have allowed Shamsiah Fakeh to returned and no one complained, perhaps because she is a Malay. Rashid Maidin too came back to Malaysia.

“There are others whom we accepted but not Chin Peng because he is the leader.

“Yes, we know the guerrillas fought a war, and they have killed many people in the war. We killed many people too. So what is the point of raising issues like this? Who are we appeasing?

“Are you telling us to pick up his cremains and send him back (to Thailand)? These petty things are being dug up to cast the government in a bad light,” he said, rubbing his forehead a few times when asked to comment on the issue.

He said this during a press conference at his working visit to South Korea, which was broadcasted live by RTM.

[More to follow] - Mkini