The memoirs of the legendary secretary-general of the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM), Chin Peng will be published in the Chinese language soon.

According to a source formerly associated with CPM, Chin Peng, 79, will not write a separate Chinese-language memoirs himself, but has agreed that the recently released English version be translated.

The source also revealed that the idea of engaging translators from China has been rejected.

"The translators of the memoirs have to be conversant with the unique Chinese names of many geographical locations, places and terrains in Peninsular Malaysia, as well as those of historical personalities in British Malaya and Singapore," he said.

The English version of the 527-page memoirs, titled My Side of History , was published in Singapore by Media Masters. It was co-authored by two veteran Singapore-based British journalists, Ian Ward and Norma Miraflor. Ward covered the Vietnam War and the "Second Emergency " for the conservative London-based newspaper, Daily Telegraph.

My Side of History

appeared in some bookshops in Kuala Lumpur about a week ago, but there were also reports that Home Ministry officials seized 17 copies of the book from the MPH bookstore at the Mid-Valley Megamall last Wednesday.

Not banned

A University Malaya academic who requested anonymity told malaysiakini that 50 copies on sale in the campus bookshop were sold out like "hot cakes" last week.

Yesterday, the Home Ministry issued a press statement clarifying that the book is not banned.

Chin Peng, a nom de guerre of Ong Boon Hua is the 11th secretary-general of the once powerful Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) which fought against British colonialism, the Japanese occupation and the newly independent governments of both Malaysia and Singapore for over half a century. CPM was officially founded in April 1930.

Chin Peng joined the party in 1939 at the age of 15.

In 1946-47, Chin Peng was decorated with Burma Star and 1939/45 Star medals as well as an Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his contribution to the Allied resistance against Japan during the Pacific War. The military awards were later revoked after British colonial authorities declared an anti-communist "Emergency" in June 1948.

Called by Chin Peng an "anti-colonial war", the " Emergency " officially ended in 1960.

Thereafter, Chin Peng went to China but continued to direct armed struggle against the independent governments of Malaya/Malaysia and Singapore until December 1989 when CPM signed a peace agreement with the Malaysian government.