Chin Peng wanted his ashes to be brought back

Former Communist Party of Malaya leader Chin Peng's final wishes was to have his ashes brought back to his hometown of Sitiawan.

According to a former CPM member Fang Shan, this was conveyed to him during a meeting last year.

"The last time I met him was a year ago at Bangkok. He told me the same thing: He wanted to come back while he was alive. Or else, he wants his ashes brought back.

"He couldn't come back when he was alive. That was his biggest regret," said Fang, 75, who was once a CPM propagandist.

Fang said he will be traveling to Bangkok soon to meet Chin Peng's family members who will ultimately decide whether to allow the ashes to be brought back.

He believed that his party comrades, numbering at about 300 people, would also want to see Chin Peng's ashes brought back.

Since 1991, about 340 former CPM members were allowed back into the country and were resettled in various parts of the country.

Chin Peng, born Ong Boon Hua in 1924, was pronounced dead at 6.20am this morning in Bangkok.

By Kow Gah Chie