Information Minister Zainuddin Maidin must accept that the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) played an important role in defending Malaysia against Japanese invaders during the Second World War.

In a statement today, Working Committee in Commemoration of the Malaysian Fellowmen Sacrificed During The Japanese Occupation said even the British colonial government had once honoured CPM for its contributions.

Many armed partisans of the CPM-initiated Malaysian People's Anti-Japanese Army (MPAJA) were awarded the 'Star of Burma Campaign' while CPM secretary-general Chin Peng was awarded the prestigious 'Order of the British Empire' by the King of Great Britain after the war.

Committee chairperson Ong Seng Khek said many of them were also part of the Malaysian delegation in an Allied victory procession in London in 1946.

As such, he urged political leaders to view objectively the CPM and their contributions, at least until they were outlawed in August 1945.

"Whoever attempts to distort history, shall eventually face the final judgment of history. Information Minister Zainuddin Maidin stop it right here at the edge of your cliff before it is too late," he warned.

Sack the minister

Last Saturday, Zainuddin alleged that memorials for the communist were being erected in Sarawak and Nilai.

The committee behind the Nilai memorial denied this and added that the memorial - with inscriptions in five languages: Bahasa Malaysia, English, Chinese, Tamil and Japanese - commemorated the deeds of slain war heroes from all backgrounds.

However, Zainuddin stood firm. On Monday, he sent a text message to Chinese daily Nanyang Siang Pau claiming that "MPAJA is the enemy of the bumiputera".

Referring to the minister's text, Ong lambasted Zainuddin for viewing the matter with a racial slant.

He said the ministers views were in 'contempt' of the contributions by the multi-racial force that fought the Japanese during the war.

"We would like to appeal to Prime Minister Abdullah (Ahmad Badawi) to replace the information minister as soon as possible. This is to show that he should be held responsible for his improper statement, which is damaging our national interest and unity among our people," he added.