The two men in detained in Penang late last night were only being investigated to determine if they were bringing in any of the late Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) leader Chin Peng’s ashes, and were not arrested, Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said today.

NONESpeaking to reporters outside the Dewan Rakyat today, Zahid (left) said that the duo were released after police realised the men were not carrying any ashes.

Zahid also admitted that there was no particular ban preventing Chin Peng's books and memoirs from being brought back into the country.

"At the moment, there is no such restriction. But we will look into it and see what we can do," Zahid said in a non-committal fashion.

The two men - a Malaysian and a Hong Kong national - detained at the Bayan Lepas International Airport yesterday, were reportedly carrying souvenirs and memoirs of Chin Peng which they bought during his funeral service in Bangkok on Monday.

Zahid said that the government’s primary concern is to prevent Chin Peng’s ashes from being brought into the country.

“Our concern is about the ashes being brought back, and that they would be turned into a memorial,” he said.

However, Zahid said that he would still “look at” the Printing Presses and Publications Act to see whether the government has any scope to take action about Chin Peng’s books being brought into the country.

“There is no special operation here, but we need to check regularly,” he said.

'Materials on CPM widely available on the market'

Meanwhile, in Penang, state PKR Youth vice-chairperson Dr Afif Bahardin condemned the detention of the two individuals, saying that materials on CPM were widely available in the market and they have never been considered “subversive”.

He said police has gone overboard and their actions smacks of a “sandiwara” by the authorities who have been constantly using government apparatus to poison the people’s minds about Chin Peng and his comrades.

“The government’s fear of Chin Peng’s shadow has gone to the level where we are a joke in the eyes of the public internationally,” Afif, the state executive councillor in charge of health, said in a statement.

“If the authorities felt their war against the communists were right, they need not fear of the lack in people’s support or that the CPM would be revived just because Chin Peng’s ashes are brought back to the country,” he added.

“History will remain history. If we are willing to forgive the Japanese invaders who beheaded our ancestors, why can’t we start a new page with a group of people who chose guerilla warfare to fight colonialism and imperialism?” he asked.

Afif urged the authorities to desist in their “drama” and refrain from manipulating the country’s history to resurrect the dark side of our past to deny Malaysians the right to justice and freedom.

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