Malaysia government must honour 1989 Peace Agreement and allow Chin Peng to return to Malaysia

I personally met Chin Peng a month ago. I was quite surprised to find that he is so IT savvy and updated with current affairs in Malaysia.

In our conversation, I could feel the eagerness in him to want to return to his hometown of Sitiawan.

Although he was once a most feared man, today he is just a 86 old man whose wish is to be able to return to his home country to pray at his parent's graves and to finally die here.

There have been voices of support for and objections against his return to Malaysia.

A major argument against his return centers on the point that the communists led by him had caused injuries and killed lives of our soldiers and civilians during the Emergency period.

It is a fact that the communists had injured and killed our soldiers and civilians during the Emergency period. But it is also a fact that the Japanese caused more injuries and loss of lives to Malaysians during their occupation of Malaya.

So the argument that Chin Peng must not be forgiven because of the sufferings and pains he has inflicted is not totally convincing.

The question that the government should answer is -- why cant Chin Peng who is not a war criminal be allowed to return to his home country if we can forgive the Japanese, especially since he has apologised for the pain and suffering he caused to the people during the Emergency ?

But what is most important is how will the world community look at Malaysia if the government fails to honour the 1989 peace agreement signed between the Malaysian government and Chin Peng.

I have raised this issue in Parliament on November 19 where I mentioned that among the highlights of the agreement was " The Communist Party Of Malaya will disband all arms units in Malaya and Thailand while Malaysia should allow members of Malaysian origin to return. Those not of Malaysian origin can return only if permitted."

Can the government deny that there is no such clause in the Agreement? Of course it cannot.

The government should therefore be truthful to Malaysians and announce to them the existence of such a clause .

Let not Malaysia be seen as a nation that does not honour agreement signed by our own government. The Cabinet should quickly decide what is right and proper-- let Chin Peng return to his home country.