The Malaysian Insight

EIGHTY-ONE-YEAR-OLD Chai Kan Fook is among those responsible for bringing back the ashes of Chin Peng, the Communist Party of Malaya leader.

He told The Malaysian Insight their action was not to cause problems but to fulfil Chin Peng’s dying wish.

“It was one of his last wishes to be buried with his comrades near the hills,” said Chai.

Chin Peng, whose real name was Ong Boon Hua, died of cancer in Bangkok in 2013, a month before his 89th birthday.

The Malaysian government had prohibited his remains to be buried here.

But on September 16, a group of his old friends brought the ashes back to Malaysia and held a funeral ceremony on the same day.

They later scattered his ashes at the hillside near Chemor, in Perak and at sea, about 3km from Lumut.

“I have no regrets bringing back his ashes back and I’m ready to face the consequences, including going to jail,” Chai said yesterday.

He had been summoned by police for his statement on Thursday.

As to why the friends had shared what they had done with the public, Chai said: “We were only letting people know what we have done.

“Our intention was to close the issue with a small announcement.

“I am very happy to have done this and I don’t regret holding that press conference. Those who are criticising us just want to gain attention for themselves.”

Opposition lawmakers in Umno and PAS have kicked up a fuss over the move, accusing the  Pakatan Harapan government of being lax in allowing the communist leader’s ashes to return home.

They argued that Chin Peng and his communist party had killed many Malaysians during the insurgency.

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad had claimed that those blaming the PH government had their own agenda.

“What do you want to raise such an issue for? This is a small matter that is being used to make the government look bad,” the prime minister said.

He said the ashes of Chin Peng shouldn’t be made into an issue as the man was dead.

Dr Mahathir said it was difficult for the government to prevent the ashes from being brought back from across the border, adding that while Malaysia had allowed the return of other members of the CPM, such as Shamsiah Fakeh, it had not allowed Chin Peng to return as he was a leader.

Under a peace treaty signed by Malaysia, Thailand and the CPM to end the communist insurgency, CPM members and leaders were allowed to return to Malaysia under certain conditions.

Chin Peng had filed a case in the Malaysian courts on his right to return under the peace treaty, but this was quashed by the Federal Court in 2009.

His lawyers had said he had repeatedly written to the Malaysian government for permission to return, but was always denied. – November 30, 2019.