Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today repeated the government’s stand to block communist leader Chin Peng’s ashes from entering Malaysia as there is simply no proof of his citizenship.

Speaking to Utusan Malaysia, Zahid said he stood firmly behind Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and rejected any proposal for Chin Peng’s return as “insensitive” to the feelings of the majority. He also worried that Chin Peng may become a false idol.

“The reason is because he is not a Malaysian citizen based on information from the National Registration Department (NRD),” Zahid Hamidi was quoted as saying by the Umno-owned newspaper.

“We know that if his body or ashes are brought back, there will be some who will deify him as a warrior-hero or make a monument to him. This will further break the hearts of our veterans and their families on top of the cruelty of Chin Peng and the communists.”

Zahid reiterated that the government was following the law, as Chin Peng did not apply for citizenship as required after a lapse of a year from the 1989 Peace Deal in Hatyai.

Chin Peng, the former secretary general of Communist Party of Malaya, died on Sept 16 and a funeral service is being held in a Bangkok temple. His family members have said that they will not smuggle his ashes back into Malaysia even though that was the exiled warrior’s last wish.

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