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Why are we punishing Chin Peng but grovelling at the feet of the country that backed Chin Peng? Chin Peng had more or less been defeated back in 1960. But China helped prolong the war another 29 years. China ‘made’ Chin Peng. But Chin Peng is punished and China is not.
NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin
It was in 1960. Tun Razak Dato’ Hussein, current Prime Minister Najib’s father -- who was then Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister cum Home Minister -- had just tabled a new law in Parliament called the Internal Security Act. It was for purposes of debating and yet to be passed by Parliament.
Dato' D. R. Seenivasagam, the PPP leader as well as opposition leader in Parliament, stood up to oppose the law. He felt that this new law was too draconian and gave too much power to one man, the Home Minister, to decide who should be detained without trial.
Tun Razak assured Parliament that this new law, if passed, would only be used against the Communist Terrorists operating in the Pahang jungles and along the Malaysian-Thai border, totalling about 700 in all. This new law would never be used for any other purposes other than to combat the scourge of the Communist Terrorists, Tun Razak promised Parliament.
With that assurance, the new law called the Internal Security Act was passed by Parliament with the support of the opposition Members of Parliament.
On 31 July 1960, the government declared that the Emergency, which was declared on 16 June 1948, was over. Chin Peng, who was operating in Southern Thailand, left for Beijing where he was accommodated by the Chinese authorities in the International Liaison Bureau. Many other Southeast Asian Communist Party leaders were also housed there.
On 2 December 1989, the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) laid down its arms and signed a Peace Treaty with the Malaysian government. The Peace Treaty was brokered by the Thai government and was signed in Hatyai, Southern Thailand. And with the signing of this treaty the ‘war’ officially ended and those who wished to remain in Thailand could do so while those who wanted to return home could also do so according to the treaty.
During the more than 40 years of conflict, Malayan security forces killed 6,710 guerrillas and captured another 1,287. A further 2,702 guerrillas surrendered during the conflict, while approximately 500 more surrendered at the end of the conflict. 1,345 Malayan troops and police personnel were killed during the conflict as well as 519 Commonwealth personnel. 2,478 civilians were killed, with another 810 recorded as missing. But not all those civilians who were killed were at the hands of the Communist Terrorists. There were many reports of civilians killed by the security forces as well.
This dispels the government propaganda that 40,000-50,000 Malayans had been killed by Chin Peng’s army.
On 30 April 1975, Saigon fell and that ended the long-drawn Vietnam War. North and South Vietnam were now united as one nation. Not long after that, Malaysia and Vietnam resumed diplomatic relations and the first delegation from this new nation arrived in Kuala Lumpur.
Invariably, the media was all goo-gaga about this great event and a press conference was held. In the press conference the Vietnamese admitted that they had helped the Malayan Communist Terrorists. However, they did so at the behest of China, explained the Vietnamese. Now, since Vietnam is no longer buddies with China, they had stopped aiding the Communist Terrorists in the Malaysian jungles and along the Thai border.
It is no secret that China had a hand in the move to turn Malaysia Communist. The Malayan Communist Party leaders were given refuge in China and the Communist Terrorists in Malaysia or along the Malaysian-Thai border received a lot of support in terms of training, arms and ammunition.
At one time, the Malayan security forces complained that the tactics used by the Malayan Communist Terrorists were very similar to those used by the Vietcong against the Americans. This is of course because Vietnam and China were training the Malayans into how to become better terrorists.
It is final. Chin Peng will not be allowed to return to Malaysia. However, next week, Najib is going to lead the largest Malaysian delegation ever to China. It is said seven ministers and a horde of businessmen are going to be in that entourage.
Why is Najib going to visit the country that was the cause of all our problems? The Emergency could have ended in 1960. But it prolonged until 1989, an additional 29 years and at the cost of many more lives. And this is because China and Vietnam helped to prolong the Emergency.
Why are we punishing Chin Peng but grovelling at the feet of the country that backed Chin Peng? Chin Peng had more or less been defeated back in 1960. But China helped prolong the war another 29 years. China ‘made’ Chin Peng. But Chin Peng is punished and China is not.
Next week, Najib is going to visit China to pay homage to the country that tried to destroy us and that cost us so many lives. No problem if we want to force Chin Peng to remain in exile. I have no quarrel with that. But I would expect China, Chin Peng’s ‘master’, to be treated the same. And if we have forgiven China then Chin Peng should be equally forgiven. Should not the master and soldier both be treated the same? That was how we treated the German and Japanese military leaders immediately after the Second World War. The masters and soldiers were all punished.
Or is this a move by Najib to try to court the support of the Malaysian Chinese ahead of the next general election? I suppose the Chinese, being as stupid as they are, would certainly fall for this election trick. Or will they? *************************************************
KANGAR, May 28 (Bernama) -- The Raja Muda of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail, today expressed disappointment over the suggestion for the government to allow Chin Peng, the former secretary-general of the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM), to return to live in Malaysia.
The Raja Muda, who is commander of Regiment 504 of the Territorial Army, said allowing the former CPM leader to return would cause anxiety in the people, particularly those who had been victims of the brutality of the communists.
"Families, in particular of the security forces who were killed or injured in the defence of the country from the CPM threat, have undergone much suffering," he said when launching the "Walk In Through Snake" programme at the Perlis Snake and Reptile Farm, here.
Penang Gerakan chairman Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan had reportedly asked the government to allow Chin Peng to return to Malaysia on humanitarian grounds.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said yesterday the government would not allow Chin Peng to return as it would lead to dissatisfaction among the people, especially those who had fought the communists and families who lost their loved ones during the Emergency from 1948 to 1960.
In KUALA LUMPUR, Gerakan Youth chief Lim Si Pin said Chin Peng's return to the country would bring no benefit to the nation.
He said that though Chin Peng was no security threat, his return would still cause social imbalance, and it would be better for Malaysia to focus on the current economic situation.
"There are many who vehemently oppose his return. This sentiment runs strongly in the elders whom I've talked to, especially those who fought him for Malaysia's peace and independence," Lim told reporters at the party headquarters here.
Lim's statement was in reply to Dr Teng's call for Chin Peng to be allowed back on humanitarian grounds as he was already 85 years old and only wanted to die in Malaysia.
In PENANG, Dr Teng clarified that he was only echoing the appeal by Penang-based Citizens International chairman S.M. Mohamed Idris to the government to allow Chin Peng to return to Malaysia based purely on humanitarian and compassionate grounds.
He said in a statement that he abhorred terrorist tactics engaged by the communists and was also against the communist ideology.
"I regret that my earlier statement had been taken out of context by certain quarters to confuse the issue. I understand that Chin Peng's case was raised in the Cabinet on Wednesday and Gerakan president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon had explained that my stand was made based purely on humanitarian and compassionate grounds," he said.
Dr Teng said he respected the Cabinet's decision to reaffirm the government's earlier decision not to allow the return of Chin Peng to Malaysia, and considered the case closed.
In KUALA LUMPUR, social activist Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said the government had to take the view of the majority of the people in the matter of the return of Chin Peng to live in the country.
"We have to abide by the wishes and views of the majority of the people. The humanitarian grounds cannot be used in this issue. If the majority of the people do not agree, the government should not allow it. This is a sensitive issue," he said when contacted.
Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal said all quarters must accept the decision of Prof Dr Lim Swee Tin of the Faculty of Modern Languages and Communication of Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) said he felt that the government's decision to dismiss the proposal was right in safeguarding sensitivities.
"Why do we have to go to all the trouble to bring him (Chin Peng) back to the country? Even bringing him back is not going to change history. It must be remembered that he had brought much suffering to the families of the victims and security forces who were killed or injured," he said.
Rural and Regional Developm Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak that the government would not allow Chin Peng to return to live in the country.
"It is something that we should not raise again. Instead, we should think and focus on strengthening relations amongst us for a better future," he told reporters.
Shafie also questioned the benefits and the basis on which the former CPM leader could be brought back to the country.
In IPOH, Malaysian Youth Council (MYC) president Datuk Shamsul Anuar Nasarah expressed support for the government's firm stand in the matter.
He said the communist ideology should not be allowed to be revived in the country as it could destroy racial solidarity and undermine the development achieved by the people so far.
"The youths of the country should realise how brutal the communists were towards the people during the Emergency from 1948 to 1960," he told reporters.
Kubu Gajah state assemblyman Datuk Seri Raja Ahmad Zainuddin Raja Omar asked Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties not to dance to the tune of the opposition which he said attempted to raise the issue of Chin Peng's return to the country.
Three organisations -- Gagasan Melayu Perak (GMP), the Perak Ex-Servicemen's Association and the Perak Ex-Policemen's Association -- today opposed the suggestion to bring back the former CPM leader to the country.
In KUALA LUMPUR, Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir said Chin Peng should not be allowed to return as he had caused too much damage and grievance to the people and the country where many lives were sacrificed to break the communist insurgency and to keep the country in order during that era.
"So I for one strongly disagree to any suggestion that he should be allowed to return. To allow the main communist leader at that time to return to this country would be dishonourable for all those lives that were lost, all those people who had sacrificed much to keep the whole country safe and secure," he told reporters at the Accuwest Sdn Bhd's new product launch ceremony.
He said Chin Peng was also unwelcome now as the country was faced with global challenges in forging ahead.
"We have been living in harmony for quiet sometime now. There has been some small problems here and there which are not irresolvable. So I think we do not need an additional headache with the suggestion that he should be given the right to return," he added.
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