Last Updated: 11:12am, Oct 09, 2013

KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 9): Almost a month since the death of Chin Peng but the question of if he was a hero or a villain still arise.

But this question was addressed with little untoward incidences and disturbance from the police last night.

Organised by Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM), a forum entitled 'Chin Peng Pejuang@Pengganas Disebalik Perjanjian Hatyai (Chin Peng Crusader @ Terrorist? Beyond The Hatyai Peace Accord)' saw the panel unanimously labelling the late Chin Peng as a crusader against colonial powers.

Affandi Au Heng Fong, 83, former member of Malayan Communist Party (CPM) who fought alongside Chin Peng spoke fondly of him.

"Chin loves the country. His last words were even written in Bahasa Melayu."

Au, who now resides in Ipoh, condemns the government for portraying Chin in bad light.

"If Chin hadn't led the CPM to defeat the Japanese army, would Malaya have still gained its independence?"

Au joked that the government feared Chin Peng, even after he turned to ashes.

"The PM says Chin doesn't have documents to prove his citizenship. I didn't have any of those after I came out from the fighting, how come I still got to return to Malaysia?

"The government did not uphold the peace agreement," Au charged, in reference to the Hatyai Peace Accord.

Signed on Dec 2, 1989 it was signed between Malaya, Thailand and the CPM. The accord enabled communists who surrendered their weapons to return to their homeland.

On Sept 16, Chin Peng lost his battle to cancer at the age of 89, in Bangkok. His application to return to his hometown in Setiawan Perak was consistently rejected by the government and the court.

Social activist Lee Ban Chen, also a panellist, said Chin should not be fully accountable for casualties suffered by the Malayan security forces between 1955 and 1989.

Chin Peng was ready to surrender provided the CPM members were allowed to join existing political parties or form a new party, Lee said.

"It was the British and Tunku who refused the compromise. The only option left for Chin was to fight till he was the last man standing."

Sungai Siput MP and PSM's Dr Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj said that the causes Chin fought for in his times were still relevant to this era.

"CPM was a potential threat to the coalition party if they were allowed to stand for election.

"Chin questioned whether Malaya should follow the western capitalist bloc. Look at the TPPA (Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement) our government nearly signed, his concern about capitalism is still very real," Michael said to the audience of some 100.

Oral history activist, Aziz Suriani described Malaysian history as "a lady covered in make-up" by the ruling class in that it confused the nation, generation after generation.

"When Chin Peng's role in history is told by the working class, he's a fighter against European imperialism and fascism. But to the ruling class he was seen as a threat to their political interest."

Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia's (SAMM) Chegu Bard commented that the rejection to Chin’s return was not because of his political ideology.

“When the British colonised us, they equated the Communists to being the bad guys, without understanding the causes they fought for.

"The current government inherited false impression of the CPM as well as many laws that were meant to segregate the races.”

National laureate Datuk A Samad Said, who joined the activist scene in his golden years was among those spotted in the audience.

Chin Peng’s last words were read out at the end of the forum. In it, Chin said he regretted that he could not visit his mother’s grave in Setiawan or be buried beside her after his passing.

Chin said he believes there will be people who shared his vision for a fairer society and will continue to success the flame.  

No police presence were found in or around Kuala Lumpur Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall, where the event was held.

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