Although Malayan history as told by Chin Peng in his memoirs is thrilling, extraordinary and highly factual, it may still be a problem to understand without a clear timeline of the period.

In the third and final part of the series based on his just-released account, 'My Side of History' (Singapore, Media Masters, September 2003), I attempt to draw the timeline needed to appreciate his story.

The memoirs, as authors Ian Ward and Norma Miraflor point out, is not about the history of the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) that was officially founded in April 1930. Chin Peng only joined CPM in 1939 and became its 11 ^th secretary-general in 1947.

Chin Peng reveals that he met Ho Chih Minh in North Vietnam and was told that he (Ho) had attended the inaugural meeting of CPM.

Although Ho ( photo ) could not remember the exact date, he "recalled seeing red banners fluttering in the streets after he emerged from the meeting", suggesting that it was possibly May 1 or a few days before. (p 57)

For a detailed study of the origins and formation of the CPM from 1919 to 1941, Singaporean historian CF Yong's 'The Origins of Malayan Communism' (Singapore, South Seas Society, 1997) appears to be the best available currently.