Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin has ticked off the DAP’s Lim Guan Eng for trying to link him to communist insurgents, by referring to his working relationship with the Communist Party of China.

In a tweet today, Khairy said the Communist Party, with which he dealt with in his capacity as BN Youth chief, was not the same as communist insurgents allegedly glorified in the film ‘The New Village’.

“How can (DAP secretary-general Lim) not know the difference between PCM [sic] terrorists and China's Communist Party? Comparing apples to durians to score cheap points?” asked Khairy.

He was likely referring to the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM), also known by its Malay acronym PKM.

Lim had questioned why Umno Youth was opposing communism when Khairy had in 2009 announced the creation of a permanent secretariat to strengthen ties between BN Youth and the Communist Youth League of China (CYL).

NONE In an interview with Utusan Malaysia , Khairy said the film ‘The New Village’ was likely to touch a raw nerve as the trailer makes it seem like it glorifies communist terrorists.

“This matter is serious as we see the patriotic film ‘Tanda Putera’, which depicts the life of second prime minister Abdul Razak (Hussein) was postponed due to criticism,” he is quoted as saying.

“Those who are concerned should express their dissatisfaction on the screening of ‘The New Village’ to the Home Ministry and Information and Communications Ministry through Twitter and Facebook.”

Stern action urged

The Umno-owned daily also quoted Khairy as urging the relevant authorities to act sternly to ensure peace and stability.

The screening of the ‘The New Village’ has been postponed following claims that it portrays communists insurgents as heroes.

The New Village The film, which is based on the relocation of the Chinese community into new villages during the communist insurgency, had been slated for general release on Aug 22.

The trailer also appears to show a love story between a woman in a new village and a communist, and the struggle between their two different worlds.

‘Tanda Putera’, the screening of which has been postponed for months due to outcry over a scene portraying the May 13, 1969, riots, is due to be screened on Aug 29.

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