Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak today described the move by "certain quarters" to glorify the communists as freedom fighters as an "unforgivable betrayal" the country's heroes who had defended it against the communist threat.

"I am curious there are people who try to glorify them (communists) as the true independence fighters and not the police and soldiers who sacrificed their lives for this country...

"Misinterpreting the history of our country insults the sacrifice of our heroes and is an unforgivable betrayal," he said at an appreciation ceremony of ex-policemen in Kuala Lumpur today.

The gathering of over 1,000 ex-servicemen appears to be a move to capitalise on PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu's political blunder of praising communist insurgent Mohamed Indera, who led an assault against a police outpost at Bukit Kepong in 1950, as a freedom fighter.

Incidentally, Umno-linked daily Utusan Malaysia ’s weekend edition today also carried a two-page centrespread where army and police veterans blasted the PAS deputy over the issue.

Najib added that the police had recorded evidence, during which the insurgent leader who is more popularly known as Mat Indera confessed to murdering police servicemen.

"Mat Indera admitted that he subscribed to communist ideology and he had planned and killed police officers in the Bukit Kepong incident."

Bukit Kepong monument in pipeline

Najib also poked fun at Mohamad Sabu, more popularly known as Mat Sabu, over the latter’s remarks without directly referring to the PAS leader.

"No matter what they say, today's government under the leadership of BN will defend the heroes of our country," he said to raucous applause from the floor.

Earlier the ex-servicemen were treated to a video screening of the police's struggle against the communist insurgent during the emergency followed by a screening of Najib's recent budget speech announcing goodies for ex-servicemen.

The premier again reiterated in his sppech on the budget announcement of a RM3,000 one off payment to some 62,000 ex-servicemen who had served during the emergency era.

In a highly charged speech that would resemble an election campaign, Najib vowed to cement the "true version" of history with a memorial of Bukit Kepong.

"At the historic place of Bukit Kepong, we will craft the true interpretation (of history) by building a suitable memorial there so we and the future generation will not forget this incident."

The gathering today comes a month after Mat Sabu was charged criminally defaming of ex-servicemen and their families who had fended off communist insurgents in the Bukit Kepong incident.