The Malaysian Council of Former Elected Representatives (Mubarak) has offered strong support for the government's decision not to allow the remains of Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) leader Chin Peng from being brought back to Malaysia in the best interests of the country.

Its information chief Abdul Rahman Sulaiman said he hoped the government would stand firm with the decision.

He said Mubarak abhorred any suggestion to bring home Chin Peng's ashes as he was not a hero to be glorified.

Describing such moves as politically motivated and boiling down to ignorance of history, he said the demands should not be entertained as Chin Peng's sins were too big to be forgiven.

He recounted that Chin Peng did not return home during his lifetime as he did not comply with the terms of the peace treaty signed between Malaysia, CPM and Thailand in 1989.

Abdul Rahman said Chin Peng did not want to risk facing legal action for the atrocities inflicted by communist insurgents against the people or to undergo a rehabilitation programme.

"Instead Chin Peng chose to live in exile as he dared not face the people and members of the security forces that he had persecuted. This makes him unfit to be honoured as a hero by the people," he told Bernama .

Abdul Rahman said he was mindful of the peace agreement inked in Hatyai on Dec 2, 1989 as he was among editors assigned to churn out articles to persuade the people to accept the government's decision to sign the accord.

"I could still remember that the people then were enraged when the government agreed to go to the negotiation table with CPM as they could not forget the horrors of communist insurgents who killed innocent people," he said.

Abdul Rahman said Chin Peng's willingness to lay down arms and take part in peace talks at that time was prompted by the fall of communism in Eastern Europe as well the disintegration of the CPM.

- Bernama

Related stories

Gov't will not send rep to Chin Peng's funeral

KJ joins the 'no to ashes' bandwagon

Loads of questions about Chin Peng's ashes

Osama never signed any peace deal with US