The Home Ministry has been holding up another book from Singapore which includes a piece of writing by veteran communist Chin Peng.

Malaysiakini understands that Faces of Courage , recently published by the Singapore-based Media Masters, has been held up for more than two months by the censors of imported books and publications.

It is also understood that while the executive censors had screened the contents of the book without objection, no final decision has been made to approve its release for public sale and circulation in Malaysia.

Remembering Sybil Kathigasu

The 240-page book consists of three sections, namely the original 1954 memoirs written by Ipoh's WWII resistance heroine Sybil Kathigasu No Dram of Mercy , a new short essay by Chin Peng who recalls his contacts and impressions with Kathigasu and an article by veteran Australian journalists Ian Ward and Norma Miraflor 'exploring the legend' of Kathigasu.

Ward and Miraflor are also the co-authors of Alias Chin Peng: My Side of History .

In Faces of Courage , Chin Peng's essay, titled The Papan Guerillas and Mrs K , consists of only 20-pages.

Besides recalling his personal contacts with Kathigasu ( left ) during the prewar years at her husband's clinic in Ipoh, Chin Peng ( right ) also philosophizes about his relationship with her assistant Ho Thean Fook.

Ho, an English school teacher-turned-guerilla, passed away in Ipoh in 2004. Ho's own wartime memoir, Tainted Glory , was published by University of Malaya in 2000.

Faces of Courage has been in public circulation in Singapore for the past several weeks.