I refer to the letter Ex-CPM chief to meet Karl Marx soon, let him return .

As far as many Malaysians who lived through the insurgency are concerned, the Communist Party of Malaya killed, raped and tortured many people.

Ordinary people were affected and many of our brave soldiers and law enforcement officers gave their lives in to maintain law and order. Some of our brave men died in the jungles, some made their last stand at Bukit Kepong and some were shot at point blank at traffic lights in Ipoh.

The CPM’s terrorist actions remain a fact regardless of whether they fought for independence from the Japanese or the British. Regardless of their past ‘services’ to the country, their continued militancy after WW II and through the ’70s resulted in the loss of innocent lives.

It is not that Malaysians were killed due to crossfire or were collateral damage during firefights. We might be able to forgive that but the loss of innocent lives at the hands of the CPM were targeted and deliberate.

Thus, there is no question of the CPM not being labelled as terrorists or ‘pengganas komunis’.

Chin Peng - being the leader of the CPM - is a terrorist leader and has his hands full of blood. His crimes are still unpunished. The law states that he should stand trial. Is he exempt from the law?

Do we not care for justice for the thousands of lives that suffered at his hands? What about their right to see justice being done for their fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters who were killed, raped and bled to death by CPM atrocities?

Even now, we see war crime tribunals against WW II Nazi German officers for crimes against civilians dating back 45 years ago. The terrorism by the CPM is similar and cuts too deep and is too painful for us to say let ‘bygones be bygones’.

Personally, I will welcome him back to Malaysia - to stand trial and serve out his punishment if that is possible.

Just because Chin Peng is old and grey, it doesn’t mean his sins are forgiven. So stop making calls for allowing him to return. As far as many Malaysians are concerned, even now, he is still a terrorist and a murderer.

This letter is not about race or politics. It’s about crimes committed against a nation and its people.