Home Ministry unaware Chin Peng's ashes brought back to Malaysia
Deputy Home Minister Datuk Azis Jamman said the authorities only learnt that Chin Peng’s ashes had been brought to Malaysia after it was reported by a news portal today. - NSTP/MALAI ROSMAH TUAH
By Mohd Azam Shah Yaacob - November 26, 2019 @ 9:37pm
KUALA LUMPUR: The Home Ministry said it had never received any application from anyone to bring the ashes of former Communist Party of Malaya leader Chin Peng back to Malaysia.
Deputy Home Minister Datuk Azis Jamman said the authorities only learnt that Chin Peng’s ashes had been brought to Malaysia after it was reported by a news portal today.
Azis said the government had not wavered in its stance of not allowing Chin Peng’s remains to be brought back to Malaysia.
The ministry, he said, would investigate the claims.
“Up till now, we have not received any application of the sort.
“The ministry was unaware that Chin Peng’s ashes were brought to Malaysia on Sept 16, as reported by the news portal.
“The ministry only became aware of it when we began receiving queries on the matter, including from the media today.
“The investigation is to verify the authenticity of the claims so that legal action can be taken against those who brought the ashes in, as well as those who allowed it to happen,” he said.
Malaysiakini today reported that the ashes of Chin Peng, whose real name is Ong Boon Hua, had been brought back to Malaysia two months ago.
The ashes were reportedly scattered into the sea as well as the Titiwangsa range.
The ashes reportedly arrived in Ipoh on Sept 16. A memorial ceremony, attended by some 150 people, was allegedly held on the same day.
Chin Peng, born in Sitiawan, Perak, on 1924, died in a Thai hospital at the age of 89.
The previous government administration had issued a warning against bringing his remains or ashes back to Malaysia.
Chin Peng led the CPM’s guerilla insurgency during the Malayan Emergency in an attempt to establish an independent communist state.
After Malaya gained its independence, Chin Peng in 1968 waged a second campaign against the government to replace the administration with a communist one. This period saw Chin Peng’s forces ambush military convoys, bombing national monuments, and assassinate police officers and political targets.
Peace with the Malaysian government was finally brokered in 1989, with the signing of the Peace Agreement of Hat Yai.
