Dr M: Why the fuss over return of Chin Peng's ashes?

PETALING JAYA: Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad (pic) wonders why there is so much fuss about bringing back the ashes of communist leader Chin Peng to Malaysia.

He noted that other Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) leaders had returned to Malaysia without uproar, and those who tortured Malaysians in the past – like the Japanese – were also forgotten.

"He (Chin Peng) is dead... It is not like we can do anything, only his remains have returned.

"We have allowed Shamsiah Fakeh to return and no one complained, perhaps because she is a Malay. Rashid Maidin too came back to Malaysia," he said this during an interview with the media in South Korea.

The full interview was posted on RTM's Facebook page.

Shamsiah and Rashid were former CPM leaders who passed away in 2008 and 2006 respectively.

Dr Mahathir questioned the motives of those playing up the issue, noting that Malaysians were also involved in the war before independence.

"Yes, we know the guerrillas fought in the war, and they have killed many people in the war.

"We killed many people too. So, what is the point of raising issues like this? Who are we appeasing?" he asked.

He also questioned what could be done with Chin Peng's ashes now.

"Are you asking us to pick up his remains and send him back overseas (to Thailand)?" he asked.

It was reported that the ashes of Chin Peng, whose real name was Ong Boon Hua, were brought back on Sept 16 from Thailand and a funeral ceremony being held on the same day.

Chin Peng's ashes were later scattered at a hillside near Chemor and at sea, about three kilometres from Lumut.

He died of cancer in Bangkok in 2013, a month before his 89th birthday, news of which stirred up some Malaysians.

Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Mazlan Mansor also said that the police will be calling up those involved in the repatriation of the remains.