Gov't will not send rep to Chin Peng's funeral
The government will not be sending any representative to attend the funeral of former Communist Party of Malaya leader Chin Peng in Bangkok, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak said.
The government will not be sending any representative to attend the funeral of former Communist Party of Malaya leader Chin Peng in Bangkok, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak said.
He said this in reiterating his administration's stand that Chin Peng's ashes cannot be brought back to Malaysia.
Echoing former inspector-general of police Hanif Omar's statement, the prime minister said Chin Peng had rejected Malaysia's citizenship offer after a year that the Hatyai Accord had been inked.
According to one of his former comrades, Chin Peng had wanted his remains to be buried in his hometown of Sitiawan, Perak.
“Chin Peng has not done so and had not made any effort to do so to become a Malaysian.
“He has relinquished his rights and I recognise that there are different opinions (to consider Chin Peng's) request on humanitarian grounds.
“But we cannot forget the victims of the communists, who are very, very emotional. How many people have died and how many have been wounded and lost their livelihoods?”
'Emotional outpouring of grief'
Saying there has been much emotional outpouring of grief caused by the communist's past actions, Najib stressed that Chin Peng was responsible for killing thousands of soldiers, police officers and civilians.
“(The decision) has to be seen in that context. As far as we are concerned, Chin Peng was responsible for the deaths of innocent people.”
Asked whether the country should recognise Chin Peng's effort in fighting the British and for the country's independence Najib said, “we do not do that”.
“We do not pay respects to those who killed thousands of people. If you see the context over how the Americans treated Osama bin Laden, Chin Peng has died a natural death.
“Osama was singled out, killed, and his body thrown into the sea and that was how the Americans treated Osama,” Najib said.
Asked if there was a law to prevent Chin Peng’s remains being brought back, Najib said that it was the government's decision not to allow it, but the people could challenge it if they were not happy.
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