Chin Peng never applied for citizenship and allowing his ashes back may lead to his followers to build a memorial, says a worried Home Minister.
KUALA LUMPUR: Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi warned that bringing back Chin Peng’s ashes could lead to a memorial built in his name.
“We don’t want some factions to build memorial and label him as a hero,” said Zahid told reporters in parliament today.
He also added that it was important not to forget the families of the loved ones who were killed during the battle with the communist insurgents.
When asked whether the government was worried there would be a communism revival if Chin Peng’s ashes were brought back, he dismissed the claim, and stated that the government has made all efforts to curb communism ideology.
Zahid further stressed that there was no place for a terrorist like Chin Peng, by referring to the atrocities he has done to the security forces who defended the country against communism.
Chin Peng died in exile in a hospital in Bangkok on Sept 16 and his funeral is due today evening.
Second chances given to Chin Peng
Meanwhile, Zahid reiterated that after the Haadyai 1989 treaty, the government had given Chin Peng two opportunities to return back.
“We gave him the necessary application forms to apply, but he never got back back to us,” he said.
“Since he never replied to us, we took it as he has rejected our offer,” added Zahid.
Following the death of the 88-year-old communist leader, a segment of the society has called on the government to allow Chin Peng’s ashes to be given its religious rites at his hometown in Sitiawan, Perak.
Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and other government leaders had rejected such call.
In another matter, Zahid suggested to ask opinions from other former IGPs to get a clearer understanding on permitting Chin Peng’s ashes to be brought back.
He said this in response to what was told on Saturday by former IGP Abdul Rahim Mohd Noor who warned that Malaysia will become a laughing stock if the government refuses to allow Chin Peng’s remains back to his home town.
The former IGP gave his view in an interview with BFM and commented that the government will succumb to public pressure and in turn be a laughing stock to the whole world.
Abdul Rahim, who led the successful peace negotiations on behalf of Malaysia with the Communist Party of Malaya in the late 1980s, said the refusal to allow Chin Peng into the country, even when he was alive, made a mockery of the 1989 Haadyai Peace Treaty.
Nevertheless, Zahid also suggested that an opinion should be sought from former IGP Norian Mai and believes that other IGPs will have a differing thought on the situation.
Not a citizen
Meanwhile he further highlighted that a check with the National Registration Department’s (JPN) DG confirmed there were no records of Chin Peng’s citizenship in the database.
There were also no applications made by Chin Peng for a Malaysian citizenship, he said.
Zahid pointed out that if Chin Peng was not a Malaysian citizen, then there was no point to give unnecessary recognition in allowing his remains to be brought back to Malaysia
KUALA LUMPUR: Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi warned that bringing back Chin Peng’s ashes could lead to a memorial built in his name.“We don’t want some factions to build memorial and label him as a hero,” said Zahid told reporters in parliament today.
He also added that it was important not to forget the families of the loved ones who were killed during the battle with the communist insurgents.
When asked whether the government was worried there would be a communism revival if Chin Peng’s ashes were brought back, he dismissed the claim, and stated that the government has made all efforts to curb communism ideology.
Zahid further stressed that there was no place for a terrorist like Chin Peng, by referring to the atrocities he has done to the security forces who defended the country against communism.
Chin Peng died in exile in a hospital in Bangkok on Sept 16 and his funeral is due today evening.
Second chances given to Chin Peng
Meanwhile, Zahid reiterated that after the Haadyai 1989 treaty, the government had given Chin Peng two opportunities to return back.
“We gave him the necessary application forms to apply, but he never got back back to us,” he said.
“Since he never replied to us, we took it as he has rejected our offer,” added Zahid.
Following the death of the 88-year-old communist leader, a segment of the society has called on the government to allow Chin Peng’s ashes to be given its religious rites at his hometown in Sitiawan, Perak.
Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and other government leaders had rejected such call.
In another matter, Zahid suggested to ask opinions from other former IGPs to get a clearer understanding on permitting Chin Peng’s ashes to be brought back.
He said this in response to what was told on Saturday by former IGP Abdul Rahim Mohd Noor who warned that Malaysia will become a laughing stock if the government refuses to allow Chin Peng’s remains back to his home town.
The former IGP gave his view in an interview with BFM and commented that the government will succumb to public pressure and in turn be a laughing stock to the whole world.
Abdul Rahim, who led the successful peace negotiations on behalf of Malaysia with the Communist Party of Malaya in the late 1980s, said the refusal to allow Chin Peng into the country, even when he was alive, made a mockery of the 1989 Haadyai Peace Treaty.
Nevertheless, Zahid also suggested that an opinion should be sought from former IGP Norian Mai and believes that other IGPs will have a differing thought on the situation.
Not a citizen
Meanwhile he further highlighted that a check with the National Registration Department’s (JPN) DG confirmed there were no records of Chin Peng’s citizenship in the database.
There were also no applications made by Chin Peng for a Malaysian citizenship, he said.
Zahid pointed out that if Chin Peng was not a Malaysian citizen, then there was no point to give unnecessary recognition in allowing his remains to be brought back to Malaysia
No comments:
Post a Comment