For friends and ex-enemies alike, Chin Peng, the legendary former secretary-general of the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM), seems to be an elusive person. Yet, he has always been wanted for all kinds of purposes and reasons.

During the Japanese occupation of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore from 1941 to 1945, he was naturally wanted by the Japanese military police, spies and informers. At the same time, he was also wanted by British agents of special operations who needed his help to infiltrate into occupied Malaya and to protect them in hideouts.

Three years after the liberation of Peninsular Malaya and Singapore, he was again wanted by his ex-friends and ex-allies but now as an enemy - to be captured alive or dead.

When the land whose freedom and dignity he had fought for gained independence, he was still wanted, dead or alive, by its security forces and agents.