I do not believe Chin Peng made any “striking
reorientation”….I think this is incorrect.
I think Chin Peng was adept at using the media and basking in the limelight of adulation by fellow ideologues and anti-colonial views (which, understandably, remains widespread). Opposing Chin Peng, as I have stated before, does not make one a colonialist or even an anachronism.
I do not believe Chin Peng later regretted his actions or rejected his ideological viewpoints as exemplified by his own insistent belief that he was fighting for all Malayans. I neither believe that he was fighting for all Malayans nor believe most Malayans at the time (certainly, most Malays and many wealthy Malaysian Chinese) believe that either. Few Malayans wanted a Communist victory and a Communist-led government taking over in the country. Dislike of the British AND Communism (again, ethnic politics played a major role here) was widespread within the Malay kampungs where conservative Islamic views and practices predominated,then and now.
The argument is not tiresome but critical
as to the role of Chin Peng. You also
reiterate my point (though you explain
it somewhat differently) that the British
were likely to leave anyway. It is true
they were going broke in Malaya and it is
also true as I said earlier that the Tunku
and the British had a pact and Chin Peng
was causing enormous damage to humans
and property. Yes, of course he made
it “expensive” to the British and to
Malayans. The British weren’t going to
stay; the British Commonwealth was too
expensive and cumbersome. It eventually,
for better or worse, dissolved through
independence and the creation of the new
Commonwealth. Communism and the CPM did
not cause to dissolve.
LMF,
Your comments are contradictory and, no,
I am not guilty-read my post please before
you engage in pedantry.
First of all, you have no idea if I am
‘White’ or not. You have no basis for
supposition. Therefore, you should not
subscribe to me views because you think
I am ‘White’…
Do you dispute that politics and culture
are ethnically-based in Malaysia ? If you
do, then you are ignoring reality. It
was true under the British and, as we
can see by some of the comments here
and contemporary electoral politics of today, as true now as 50 years ago.
“It is a fact that granting independence to Malaya had taken away from CP and the MCP the main attractiveness to the people in Malaya – fighting British imperialism…”
Was it Chin Peng that granted independence
to people of Malaya ? Hardly. So, your point
contradicts your (apparent) dislike of
views of some White men. The British granted
independence for reasons stated here and
in innumerable sources. “Attractiveness” ?
To whom ? The Malays ? It is not opinion
that Chin Peng’s support base was working
class and rural Chinese and not Malays.
It is fact supported by historical evidence.
Many Malays fought the British, but not
under Chin Peng’s guidance. The number of
Malay Communists were few and far between
and wanted a Malay-led government not dominated by Mao and China, Chin Peng’s
source of influence and ideology.
Initially, some Malay intellectuals supported the Japanese who falsely promised independence (the Japanese wanted Malaya as part of their ‘Greater Co-Prosperity Sphere’). The Malay aristocracy supported the British or were passive on-lookers. The vast
majority of poor and uneducated Malays certainly weren’t happy the British were
in Malaya but were hardly attracted to Chin
Peng, and most never heard of him except when
the Emergency began. This has been documented many times by both British and (non-White) Malaysians who lived through that period. By the way, some ‘White’ academics
are sympathetic to Chin Peng’s cause and
are highly critical of the British. It seems (based on your words) that you think
every White man is a colonialist.
“You are just as guilty of the things you posted about others who do not agree with you..”
Please read my post again where I say everyone has a right to their opinions,
even ones I disagree with. But facts are
facts. Ching Peng did not grant independence
to the Malayans; he was an impediment because
he wanted to establish a Communist government, ideally with himself at the head. Do you dispute this ? If you think this would have been a good thing, then that is your opinion and I don’t share it. This is a venue for expressing facts and opinions, but not for personal attacks on others.
“These are at best pure speculations from highly opinionated people like you or “facts” as postulated by the British in the post war era…..As a white man and benefiting from the colonialisation of Malaya,one could hardly view you as unbiased in your highly opinionated view…”
I repeat: You know neither that I am White
nor that “I benefited from colonisation of Malaya..”
Since you do not know me, you have no basis
for stating whether I benefited or not.
And, anyway, this is not the proper venue to discuss the personal lives of those who post commentary.
Since I do not make judgements about the
people writing here, I am not being inconsistent. I have made judgements and
offered facts; in particular, I have offered facts and opinions regarding Chin Peng’s actions in Malaya and the threat he represented to Malaya ideologically and physically. You are free to dispute my opinion; but, you are not free to discard facts or classify and disparage me.
trevor wilson has written a useful, impartial account of where myanmar is now on the road to reform and outlined the various challenges it faces, but i think he might have slightly discounted the significance of centrifugal ethnic forces.
You are just as guilty of the things you posted about others who do not agree with you.
You stated “Neither the Tunku nor the British nor UMNO have conceded that the Emergency led to early independence. The British and Tunku regarded independence as
a more or less natural transition from a colonial outpost to a Commonwealth memberand later an independent unified Malaysia.” as if they are facts. These are at best pure speculations from highly opinionated people like you or “facts” as postulated by the British in the post war era.
It is a fact that granting independence to Malaya had taken away from CP and the MCP the main attractiveness to the people in Malaya – fighting British imperialism.
And to deny that this has not at least accelerated the granting of independence is a best naive. As a white man and benefiting from the colonialisation of Malaya,one could hardly view you as unbiased in your highly opinionated view.
I do not worship CP.It is not about honouring CP. It is about honouring the agreement signed with the Thais and Malaysian government.
Very good comments from Nick but I would like to add that the red light areas of Thailand are still attracting large numbers of women despite more opportunities available to them. From southern tourist spots to Hua Hin, Pattaya and Bangkok, I would think the great majority are still from the northeast. Many are still supporting families back home, partly because so many of them are single mothers. It is not entirely poverty driven, but the pull factors are there for women with drive, and being attractive helps, they can earn B50,000 per month. Even in massage they can earn up to B30,000. Of course, many women may only be earning what they could earn in a factory or less but with greater flexibility, a bit of glamour, and generally better working conditions, at least if they can deal with self esteem and other psychological issues pointed out by Murray. I also wonder if many northeastern girls have deeper self esteem issues and do not see themselves seeking out “normal” work, maybe they still feel marginalized as “Lao” country folk in Thai society. Elsewhere, I recently wrote in reference to Issarn people: ‘As workers in the city their status is mediocre to very low. By necessity they are slaves to a consumerist society, all 4 million of them in Bangkok’.
Dominic,
Ho Chi Minh also had an oversized ego like Chin Peng. Yes, he was popular among his people because most Vietnamese, except the aristocracy, resented the French colonial presence in their country. However, there is still an analogy in that Ho Chi Minh was determined to install a Communist government led by himself at any cost. Ho Chi Minh also “cleansed” the Party (like Mao and like Chin Peng) of those he mistrusted. The resulting government in North Vietnam after liberation, and later Vietnam after unification,
was initially a disaster and 200,000-400,000 people were sent to “re-education” camps. It remains to be seen whether current reforms in Vietnam are sustainable. Vietnam has opened
economically in foreign join ventures and tourists, but like China, its foreign policy is still very much ‘Stalinist’..
I agree with your earlier comments about Chin
Peng and his lawyer. Comments that I made myself in my posting. You also correctly re-iterate what I said about Chin Peng appealing to a small subset of Malayan society-rural Chinese and the Chinese working class with no support among the Malays. The Malay Left was
intially pro-Japanese (meaning anti-British) but had no love for Chin Peng. Only later, after independence, did Gerakan and the SPM
try to fashion a multi-ethnic Left-leaning
vehicle for those who rejected UMNO and Chinese-based parties. The Socialists faded away over time and Gerakan became a business-oriented party for Chinese interests.
A wonderful contribution from Prof Reid. His observation regarding Chin Peng’s “striking reorientation” of his party toward a focus on Malaya and the sort of society that it would become ought to give us all much to think about.
A tiresome, polarised argument has developed here, as to whether Chin Peng threw the British out of Malaya or not. The truth is that the British were on the way out because they were going broke. Chin Peng and his crowd made it more expensive for the British to stay, so they left earlier than they might have.
365 days, what a good and beautiful day to die,even the element is on song for chin peng’s swansong to be immortalize on Malaysia day.despite all the hankering and bickering of it all,one most essential element is, why signed an agreement and renegue on it,and placing imposition along the way,and by the same vein, what were tun perkasa’s doin’during the jap’s occupation? Selling pisang goreng and what a blowback for project M at Lahad Datu. who in truth is the real traitor?
The Malaysian government, dominated by UMNO for decades, has been slowly revealed to be a hypocrite and untrustworthy party. The way the UMNO regime abusing its control on media to fool the populace of Malaysia has been well observed by the world over. In the case of settling with the MCP, it’s revealed in My Side’s Story that the Malaysian delegates had actually agreed to recognise the contribution of MCP to the independence struggle but demanded that this agreement to be made confidential in the truce. It just showed the consistent pattern of the UMNO regime, manipulating history and facts for different audiences, all for its own political convenience and interests.
I’m sorry but Chin Peng’s lawyer is hardly an objective source or judge of Chin Peng’s character or contributions. He is also guilty of guessing what CP would have done if the PEace Talks were successful. Also people seem to forget that Yeong Kwo, deputy secretary General of the CPM stated, that any rapprochement with Tunku Rahman would be temporary as the ultimate goal of the CPM is to achieve power. If the 1968 Insurgency is anything to go by, we can conclude that the CPM never accepted democracy and had no interest in following it. Also statements by the CPM leadership dismissing parliamentary democracy and there aim of creating a “dictatorship of the proletariat” should show that they had no intention of ever accepting the democratic process. Also you forget that the Labour Party of Malaysia was basically an extension of the CPM and they themselves chose to boycott elections and ignore the democratic process. So what proof can you produce that the CPM would have joined the democratic process if given the chance.
I disagree with the Ho Chi Minh comparison. While HCM was a disaster economically for North Vietnam, he was genuinely loved by his people and in contrast to CP, actually did spearhead the liberation of his country from the colonialists. Also unlike HCM, Chin Peng never demonstrated military skills and ability needed to evict the colonialists. Added to that is that CP and the CPM were really only popular with a certain segment of the population, namely the Chinese working class.
I second your comment. Indeed Chin Peng himself from his youth was influenced by the legend of the Yenan Soviet and even wanted to go there. Also one cannot dismiss the fact that while in exile in China, CP and his men received ideological training from the Chinese Communist Party. CPM statements from the 60s onwards also reflect their loyalty to Mao Zedong Thought, so no doubt that CP was a “mini-Mao” and perhaps even fashioned himself as one.
When Ibrahim Ali, as often done by many Malay-Muslim leaders, claim that May 13 will repeat (essentially meaning that [some] Malay-Muslims will resort to violence to protect their “rights”), what do moderate Malay-Muslims do?
“What guarantees can you give that if the situation remains and nothing is done to help the Malays there will not be another May 13?” Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali asked, referring to the 1969 race riots, Malaysia’s worst in history.”
“Both Tunku and the Malaysian government have conceded that the insurrection against the British led by MCP did lead to early independence..”
This is actually untrue. Neither the Tunku nor the British nor UMNO have conceded that the Emergency led to early independence. The British and Tunku regarded independence as
a more or less natural transition from a colonial outpost to a Commonwealth member
and later an independent unified Malaysia.
That is their predominant view, whether you
agree with it or not.
British and Australian academics with a certain bias have taken positions that the MCP insurrection led to independence. I
don’t share that view. Most British Officers
involved in fighting Chin Peng do not (or did
not) share that view.
“Outsider” ? I grew up in pre-independence Malaya and later Malaysia and I am married
to a Malaysian. Who are you to call me an
outsider ? You do not know me, so refrain
from personal ad hominem attacks.
The MCP and Chin Peng did enormous damage.
Of course, they weren’t going to “Just walk
out of the jungle…” Terrorists usually don’t. Chin Peng was fighting for China-inspired political reasons not to protect
and improve the lives of Malay indigents of
whom he cared little. Chin Peng was not
fighting for all of Malaya. He wanted to
rid the Japanese so he could come to power
and install a China-inspired Communist
government. It is a good thing that he
was prevented from doing so.
One does not have to be an UMNO supporter
(I am not) to defend the notion that Chin
Peng deserved to be “demonized” for all the
blood he caused. There is a tendency for some Malaysian to see things in black or white politically. If you are against Chin Peng and his insurrection, you must be an UMNO or Malay (or even Japanese) supporter and the obverse. This is an immature viewpoint in my estimation and is part of
Malaysia’s inability to rectify historical
wrongs, depending upon who defines what was
“wrong”…many older and conservative Malays, rightly or wrongly, regard the protests in the 60s as justified because they felt they were outside the economic infrastructure and
would not achieve economic mobility. Many Chinese (not all) are unsympathetic to that view because the riots caused a great deal
of harm and damage to the Malaysian Chinese community. One man’s freedom fighter is another man’s terrorist. The comments here
and frequently on Malaysiakini and similar
on-line journals confirm this. “But, we all
have a right to our view, just not the facts..” (ten points for anyone who can identify the source of this famous and accurate quote).
Of course the MCP fighters would have been jailed if they gave up, but the current record of the Malaysian government with respect to Islamic extremists suggests that
the MCP fighters would have been jailed and
then rehabilitated. UMNO (especially early UMNO) has its faults; massive slaughter is not one of them. Massive slaughter of, and committed by, the CPI and its members in Indonesia is a different history. Malaysia is not Indonesia, for the most part.
It is the MCP and Chin Peng that slaughtered the Malayan populace and you neglect to mention the infighting within the MCP which also led to torture of former MCP members by Chin Peng and his clique. Do not romanticize this man-he does not deserve it anymore than Mao, Pol Pot, Ho Chi Minh or Fidel Castro.
Yes, the Japanese killed, maimed and
raped many innocent people in China, Korea
and Southeast Asia. Full stop. Nobody (except some Japanese war veterans) disputes this. Does that mean one has to magnify Chin Peng to heroic status because he fought the Japanese ? One can criticize both the Japanese war record and Chin Peng for somewhat different reasons. But both resulted in many innocent people being
killed.
For most Malaysians of today’s generation, they neither know or care who Chin Peng
was; I highly doubt most contemporary Malays
would regard Chin Peng as a hero, rightly or
wrongly. Again, ethnic politics rears its
head in Malaysia. Sympathy for Chin Peng
is higher among older Chinese who are sympathetic to Chin Peng’s ethnicity or may
even agree with his Mao-inspired political
views. Comfortable or not, political positions in Malaysia, contemporary or historical, are often ethnically-defined
and look to remain so for a long time.
P/S Technically Malaysian leaders did not
harrass Chin Peng since he was not allowed in
Malaysia. Despite attempts by the government to discourage OTHER countries from hosting Chin Peng, he gave many interviews, wrote articles and basked in the limelight of academic and journalistic naivete of his
true egotistical and self-serving nature.
!) Westerners adoption from Chinese Orphanages, with Chinese government blessings.
2) Chinese men looking for Asian wives from Vietnam and marrying in Vietnam, an arch enemy of China, nevertheless as successful as China’s “Capitalism under Communism’.
ALSO are Chinese conspiracy to take over the West and Vietnam!
Peter Cohen: Both Tunku and the Malaysian government have conceded that the insurrection against the British led by MCP did lead to early independence. I wonder how an outsider like you could make a flippant statement like that.
Kamal: After the Baling talk and the independence, Malayan forces heavily aided by the Commonwealth forces continued to hunt down the MCP guerrillas. The war continued and political repression of left movement continued resulting in the growth of the MCP forces. The WAR was still on. It would be na├пve to expect the CPM to walk out of the jungle by themselves. They would be humiliated, jailed or slaughtered. They did after the 1989 Hatyai Treaty; yet the Malaysian government did not completely fulfil the terms of the Treaty. They continue to harass and demonise ex-CPM members notably their leader Chin Peng.
Chin Peng is indisputable an International recognized fighter/leader during the Japanese occupation and also fighting the British. To many Malaysians Chin Peng is a Malaysian Hero fighting for the Malayan Independent as war recognize no race and age. If the veterans still feel sore than it’s too fcuking bad being played up by the moron politicians for their own political survival. Japanese soldiers killed, raped, robbed many Malaysian before they surrendered why do business with them and also Communist China?? Use-Brain?
Dear Sir
I’m a Malaysian which is gratefully for yourself, related party and australian contribution in researching the MCP contribution to Malayan independence. it doesnt matter that current Malaysia ruling party have no morale courage to admit this historical fact but truth will prevail in the end. Thanks
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Chin Peng, an obituary
Michael,
I do not believe Chin Peng made any “striking
reorientation”….I think this is incorrect.
I think Chin Peng was adept at using the media and basking in the limelight of adulation by fellow ideologues and anti-colonial views (which, understandably, remains widespread). Opposing Chin Peng, as I have stated before, does not make one a colonialist or even an anachronism.
I do not believe Chin Peng later regretted his actions or rejected his ideological viewpoints as exemplified by his own insistent belief that he was fighting for all Malayans. I neither believe that he was fighting for all Malayans nor believe most Malayans at the time (certainly, most Malays and many wealthy Malaysian Chinese) believe that either. Few Malayans wanted a Communist victory and a Communist-led government taking over in the country. Dislike of the British AND Communism (again, ethnic politics played a major role here) was widespread within the Malay kampungs where conservative Islamic views and practices predominated,then and now.
Chin Peng, an obituary
T.N. England,
The argument is not tiresome but critical
as to the role of Chin Peng. You also
reiterate my point (though you explain
it somewhat differently) that the British
were likely to leave anyway. It is true
they were going broke in Malaya and it is
also true as I said earlier that the Tunku
and the British had a pact and Chin Peng
was causing enormous damage to humans
and property. Yes, of course he made
it “expensive” to the British and to
Malayans. The British weren’t going to
stay; the British Commonwealth was too
expensive and cumbersome. It eventually,
for better or worse, dissolved through
independence and the creation of the new
Commonwealth. Communism and the CPM did
not cause to dissolve.
LMF,
Your comments are contradictory and, no,
I am not guilty-read my post please before
you engage in pedantry.
First of all, you have no idea if I am
‘White’ or not. You have no basis for
supposition. Therefore, you should not
subscribe to me views because you think
I am ‘White’…
Do you dispute that politics and culture
are ethnically-based in Malaysia ? If you
do, then you are ignoring reality. It
was true under the British and, as we
can see by some of the comments here
and contemporary electoral politics of today, as true now as 50 years ago.
“It is a fact that granting independence to Malaya had taken away from CP and the MCP the main attractiveness to the people in Malaya – fighting British imperialism…”
Was it Chin Peng that granted independence
to people of Malaya ? Hardly. So, your point
contradicts your (apparent) dislike of
views of some White men. The British granted
independence for reasons stated here and
in innumerable sources. “Attractiveness” ?
To whom ? The Malays ? It is not opinion
that Chin Peng’s support base was working
class and rural Chinese and not Malays.
It is fact supported by historical evidence.
Many Malays fought the British, but not
under Chin Peng’s guidance. The number of
Malay Communists were few and far between
and wanted a Malay-led government not dominated by Mao and China, Chin Peng’s
source of influence and ideology.
Initially, some Malay intellectuals supported the Japanese who falsely promised independence (the Japanese wanted Malaya as part of their ‘Greater Co-Prosperity Sphere’). The Malay aristocracy supported the British or were passive on-lookers. The vast
majority of poor and uneducated Malays certainly weren’t happy the British were
in Malaya but were hardly attracted to Chin
Peng, and most never heard of him except when
the Emergency began. This has been documented many times by both British and (non-White) Malaysians who lived through that period. By the way, some ‘White’ academics
are sympathetic to Chin Peng’s cause and
are highly critical of the British. It seems (based on your words) that you think
every White man is a colonialist.
“You are just as guilty of the things you posted about others who do not agree with you..”
Please read my post again where I say everyone has a right to their opinions,
even ones I disagree with. But facts are
facts. Ching Peng did not grant independence
to the Malayans; he was an impediment because
he wanted to establish a Communist government, ideally with himself at the head. Do you dispute this ? If you think this would have been a good thing, then that is your opinion and I don’t share it. This is a venue for expressing facts and opinions, but not for personal attacks on others.
“These are at best pure speculations from highly opinionated people like you or “facts” as postulated by the British in the post war era…..As a white man and benefiting from the colonialisation of Malaya,one could hardly view you as unbiased in your highly opinionated view…”
I repeat: You know neither that I am White
nor that “I benefited from colonisation of Malaya..”
Since you do not know me, you have no basis
for stating whether I benefited or not.
And, anyway, this is not the proper venue to discuss the personal lives of those who post commentary.
Since I do not make judgements about the
people writing here, I am not being inconsistent. I have made judgements and
offered facts; in particular, I have offered facts and opinions regarding Chin Peng’s actions in Malaya and the threat he represented to Malaya ideologically and physically. You are free to dispute my opinion; but, you are not free to discard facts or classify and disparage me.
Adjusting to Myanmar’s reform mood
trevor wilson has written a useful, impartial account of where myanmar is now on the road to reform and outlined the various challenges it faces, but i think he might have slightly discounted the significance of centrifugal ethnic forces.
Chin Peng, an obituary
Peter Cohen,
You are just as guilty of the things you posted about others who do not agree with you.
You stated “Neither the Tunku nor the British nor UMNO have conceded that the Emergency led to early independence. The British and Tunku regarded independence as
a more or less natural transition from a colonial outpost to a Commonwealth memberand later an independent unified Malaysia.” as if they are facts. These are at best pure speculations from highly opinionated people like you or “facts” as postulated by the British in the post war era.
It is a fact that granting independence to Malaya had taken away from CP and the MCP the main attractiveness to the people in Malaya – fighting British imperialism.
And to deny that this has not at least accelerated the granting of independence is a best naive. As a white man and benefiting from the colonialisation of Malaya,one could hardly view you as unbiased in your highly opinionated view.
I do not worship CP.It is not about honouring CP. It is about honouring the agreement signed with the Thais and Malaysian government.
Kareoke and opportunity?
Very good comments from Nick but I would like to add that the red light areas of Thailand are still attracting large numbers of women despite more opportunities available to them. From southern tourist spots to Hua Hin, Pattaya and Bangkok, I would think the great majority are still from the northeast. Many are still supporting families back home, partly because so many of them are single mothers. It is not entirely poverty driven, but the pull factors are there for women with drive, and being attractive helps, they can earn B50,000 per month. Even in massage they can earn up to B30,000. Of course, many women may only be earning what they could earn in a factory or less but with greater flexibility, a bit of glamour, and generally better working conditions, at least if they can deal with self esteem and other psychological issues pointed out by Murray. I also wonder if many northeastern girls have deeper self esteem issues and do not see themselves seeking out “normal” work, maybe they still feel marginalized as “Lao” country folk in Thai society. Elsewhere, I recently wrote in reference to Issarn people: ‘As workers in the city their status is mediocre to very low. By necessity they are slaves to a consumerist society, all 4 million of them in Bangkok’.
Chin Peng, an obituary
Dominic,
Ho Chi Minh also had an oversized ego like Chin Peng. Yes, he was popular among his people because most Vietnamese, except the aristocracy, resented the French colonial presence in their country. However, there is still an analogy in that Ho Chi Minh was determined to install a Communist government led by himself at any cost. Ho Chi Minh also “cleansed” the Party (like Mao and like Chin Peng) of those he mistrusted. The resulting government in North Vietnam after liberation, and later Vietnam after unification,
was initially a disaster and 200,000-400,000 people were sent to “re-education” camps. It remains to be seen whether current reforms in Vietnam are sustainable. Vietnam has opened
economically in foreign join ventures and tourists, but like China, its foreign policy is still very much ‘Stalinist’..
I agree with your earlier comments about Chin
Peng and his lawyer. Comments that I made myself in my posting. You also correctly re-iterate what I said about Chin Peng appealing to a small subset of Malayan society-rural Chinese and the Chinese working class with no support among the Malays. The Malay Left was
intially pro-Japanese (meaning anti-British) but had no love for Chin Peng. Only later, after independence, did Gerakan and the SPM
try to fashion a multi-ethnic Left-leaning
vehicle for those who rejected UMNO and Chinese-based parties. The Socialists faded away over time and Gerakan became a business-oriented party for Chinese interests.
Chin Peng, an obituary
A wonderful contribution from Prof Reid. His observation regarding Chin Peng’s “striking reorientation” of his party toward a focus on Malaya and the sort of society that it would become ought to give us all much to think about.
Chin Peng, an obituary
A tiresome, polarised argument has developed here, as to whether Chin Peng threw the British out of Malaya or not. The truth is that the British were on the way out because they were going broke. Chin Peng and his crowd made it more expensive for the British to stay, so they left earlier than they might have.
Chin Peng, an obituary
365 days, what a good and beautiful day to die,even the element is on song for chin peng’s swansong to be immortalize on Malaysia day.despite all the hankering and bickering of it all,one most essential element is, why signed an agreement and renegue on it,and placing imposition along the way,and by the same vein, what were tun perkasa’s doin’during the jap’s occupation? Selling pisang goreng and what a blowback for project M at Lahad Datu. who in truth is the real traitor?
Chin Peng, an obituary
The Malaysian government, dominated by UMNO for decades, has been slowly revealed to be a hypocrite and untrustworthy party. The way the UMNO regime abusing its control on media to fool the populace of Malaysia has been well observed by the world over. In the case of settling with the MCP, it’s revealed in My Side’s Story that the Malaysian delegates had actually agreed to recognise the contribution of MCP to the independence struggle but demanded that this agreement to be made confidential in the truce. It just showed the consistent pattern of the UMNO regime, manipulating history and facts for different audiences, all for its own political convenience and interests.
Chin Peng, an obituary
I’m sorry but Chin Peng’s lawyer is hardly an objective source or judge of Chin Peng’s character or contributions. He is also guilty of guessing what CP would have done if the PEace Talks were successful. Also people seem to forget that Yeong Kwo, deputy secretary General of the CPM stated, that any rapprochement with Tunku Rahman would be temporary as the ultimate goal of the CPM is to achieve power. If the 1968 Insurgency is anything to go by, we can conclude that the CPM never accepted democracy and had no interest in following it. Also statements by the CPM leadership dismissing parliamentary democracy and there aim of creating a “dictatorship of the proletariat” should show that they had no intention of ever accepting the democratic process. Also you forget that the Labour Party of Malaysia was basically an extension of the CPM and they themselves chose to boycott elections and ignore the democratic process. So what proof can you produce that the CPM would have joined the democratic process if given the chance.
Chin Peng, an obituary
I disagree with the Ho Chi Minh comparison. While HCM was a disaster economically for North Vietnam, he was genuinely loved by his people and in contrast to CP, actually did spearhead the liberation of his country from the colonialists. Also unlike HCM, Chin Peng never demonstrated military skills and ability needed to evict the colonialists. Added to that is that CP and the CPM were really only popular with a certain segment of the population, namely the Chinese working class.
Chin Peng, an obituary
I second your comment. Indeed Chin Peng himself from his youth was influenced by the legend of the Yenan Soviet and even wanted to go there. Also one cannot dismiss the fact that while in exile in China, CP and his men received ideological training from the Chinese Communist Party. CPM statements from the 60s onwards also reflect their loyalty to Mao Zedong Thought, so no doubt that CP was a “mini-Mao” and perhaps even fashioned himself as one.
Extremism in the name of Islam and Malaysian Muslims
When Ibrahim Ali, as often done by many Malay-Muslim leaders, claim that May 13 will repeat (essentially meaning that [some] Malay-Muslims will resort to violence to protect their “rights”), what do moderate Malay-Muslims do?
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/perkasa-chief-warns-of-fresh-race-riot-if-malays-not-helped-economically
Chin Peng, an obituary
Useful research on a pertinent part of South East Asian history
Chin Peng, an obituary
“Both Tunku and the Malaysian government have conceded that the insurrection against the British led by MCP did lead to early independence..”
This is actually untrue. Neither the Tunku nor the British nor UMNO have conceded that the Emergency led to early independence. The British and Tunku regarded independence as
a more or less natural transition from a colonial outpost to a Commonwealth member
and later an independent unified Malaysia.
That is their predominant view, whether you
agree with it or not.
British and Australian academics with a certain bias have taken positions that the MCP insurrection led to independence. I
don’t share that view. Most British Officers
involved in fighting Chin Peng do not (or did
not) share that view.
“Outsider” ? I grew up in pre-independence Malaya and later Malaysia and I am married
to a Malaysian. Who are you to call me an
outsider ? You do not know me, so refrain
from personal ad hominem attacks.
The MCP and Chin Peng did enormous damage.
Of course, they weren’t going to “Just walk
out of the jungle…” Terrorists usually don’t. Chin Peng was fighting for China-inspired political reasons not to protect
and improve the lives of Malay indigents of
whom he cared little. Chin Peng was not
fighting for all of Malaya. He wanted to
rid the Japanese so he could come to power
and install a China-inspired Communist
government. It is a good thing that he
was prevented from doing so.
One does not have to be an UMNO supporter
(I am not) to defend the notion that Chin
Peng deserved to be “demonized” for all the
blood he caused. There is a tendency for some Malaysian to see things in black or white politically. If you are against Chin Peng and his insurrection, you must be an UMNO or Malay (or even Japanese) supporter and the obverse. This is an immature viewpoint in my estimation and is part of
Malaysia’s inability to rectify historical
wrongs, depending upon who defines what was
“wrong”…many older and conservative Malays, rightly or wrongly, regard the protests in the 60s as justified because they felt they were outside the economic infrastructure and
would not achieve economic mobility. Many Chinese (not all) are unsympathetic to that view because the riots caused a great deal
of harm and damage to the Malaysian Chinese community. One man’s freedom fighter is another man’s terrorist. The comments here
and frequently on Malaysiakini and similar
on-line journals confirm this. “But, we all
have a right to our view, just not the facts..” (ten points for anyone who can identify the source of this famous and accurate quote).
Of course the MCP fighters would have been jailed if they gave up, but the current record of the Malaysian government with respect to Islamic extremists suggests that
the MCP fighters would have been jailed and
then rehabilitated. UMNO (especially early UMNO) has its faults; massive slaughter is not one of them. Massive slaughter of, and committed by, the CPI and its members in Indonesia is a different history. Malaysia is not Indonesia, for the most part.
It is the MCP and Chin Peng that slaughtered the Malayan populace and you neglect to mention the infighting within the MCP which also led to torture of former MCP members by Chin Peng and his clique. Do not romanticize this man-he does not deserve it anymore than Mao, Pol Pot, Ho Chi Minh or Fidel Castro.
Yes, the Japanese killed, maimed and
raped many innocent people in China, Korea
and Southeast Asia. Full stop. Nobody (except some Japanese war veterans) disputes this. Does that mean one has to magnify Chin Peng to heroic status because he fought the Japanese ? One can criticize both the Japanese war record and Chin Peng for somewhat different reasons. But both resulted in many innocent people being
killed.
For most Malaysians of today’s generation, they neither know or care who Chin Peng
was; I highly doubt most contemporary Malays
would regard Chin Peng as a hero, rightly or
wrongly. Again, ethnic politics rears its
head in Malaysia. Sympathy for Chin Peng
is higher among older Chinese who are sympathetic to Chin Peng’s ethnicity or may
even agree with his Mao-inspired political
views. Comfortable or not, political positions in Malaysia, contemporary or historical, are often ethnically-defined
and look to remain so for a long time.
P/S Technically Malaysian leaders did not
harrass Chin Peng since he was not allowed in
Malaysia. Despite attempts by the government to discourage OTHER countries from hosting Chin Peng, he gave many interviews, wrote articles and basked in the limelight of academic and journalistic naivete of his
true egotistical and self-serving nature.
Adjusting to Myanmar’s reform mood
Tocharian 1.1.1.1.1
!) Westerners adoption from Chinese Orphanages, with Chinese government blessings.
2) Chinese men looking for Asian wives from Vietnam and marrying in Vietnam, an arch enemy of China, nevertheless as successful as China’s “Capitalism under Communism’.
ALSO are Chinese conspiracy to take over the West and Vietnam!
Chin Peng, an obituary
Peter Cohen: Both Tunku and the Malaysian government have conceded that the insurrection against the British led by MCP did lead to early independence. I wonder how an outsider like you could make a flippant statement like that.
Kamal: After the Baling talk and the independence, Malayan forces heavily aided by the Commonwealth forces continued to hunt down the MCP guerrillas. The war continued and political repression of left movement continued resulting in the growth of the MCP forces. The WAR was still on. It would be na├пve to expect the CPM to walk out of the jungle by themselves. They would be humiliated, jailed or slaughtered. They did after the 1989 Hatyai Treaty; yet the Malaysian government did not completely fulfil the terms of the Treaty. They continue to harass and demonise ex-CPM members notably their leader Chin Peng.
Chin Peng, an obituary
Chin Peng is indisputable an International recognized fighter/leader during the Japanese occupation and also fighting the British. To many Malaysians Chin Peng is a Malaysian Hero fighting for the Malayan Independent as war recognize no race and age. If the veterans still feel sore than it’s too fcuking bad being played up by the moron politicians for their own political survival. Japanese soldiers killed, raped, robbed many Malaysian before they surrendered why do business with them and also Communist China?? Use-Brain?
Chin Peng, an obituary
Dear Sir
I’m a Malaysian which is gratefully for yourself, related party and australian contribution in researching the MCP contribution to Malayan independence. it doesnt matter that current Malaysia ruling party have no morale courage to admit this historical fact but truth will prevail in the end. Thanks