PKR advisor and Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim has called on the Umno-BN government to allow former communist chief Chin Peng to return to Malaysia.
The reform icon also said any move to ban any political organization just because of differences in opinions over its ideology should be condemned.
“There is no reason not to allow Chin Peng to return,” he said in a keynote address to some 2,000 PKR delegates.
“This does not mean that we support the cause of the Communist Party of Malaysia. It is just that the issue has been played up with racial overtones and political motives.”
Why can’t we forgive Chin Peng?
Anwar was speaking at the PKR’s special congress, where the party is poised to approve a raft of reforms aimed at taking it to the forefront of the political league and helping it to achieve national power together with coalition partners DAP and PAS.
In a bid to rally Malay support after his popularity plunged following a messy coup d’etat in Perak state, Prime Minister Najib Razak has been playing up a request from the banished 85-year old communist leader to come home to spend his last days.
Despite pleas from the Chinese community, which sees nothing wrong in showing compassion for the octagenarian, Najib has denied Chin Peng’s request on the grounds that it would upset the Malays whom he said had suffered at the hands of the CPM.
“We are at peace with China and their communist government. Why can’t we forgive Chin Peng?” asked Anwar.
The reform icon also said any move to ban any political organization just because of differences in opinions over its ideology should be condemned.
“There is no reason not to allow Chin Peng to return,” he said in a keynote address to some 2,000 PKR delegates.
“This does not mean that we support the cause of the Communist Party of Malaysia. It is just that the issue has been played up with racial overtones and political motives.”
Why can’t we forgive Chin Peng?
Anwar was speaking at the PKR’s special congress, where the party is poised to approve a raft of reforms aimed at taking it to the forefront of the political league and helping it to achieve national power together with coalition partners DAP and PAS.
In a bid to rally Malay support after his popularity plunged following a messy coup d’etat in Perak state, Prime Minister Najib Razak has been playing up a request from the banished 85-year old communist leader to come home to spend his last days.
Despite pleas from the Chinese community, which sees nothing wrong in showing compassion for the octagenarian, Najib has denied Chin Peng’s request on the grounds that it would upset the Malays whom he said had suffered at the hands of the CPM.
“We are at peace with China and their communist government. Why can’t we forgive Chin Peng?” asked Anwar.
SK
13/06/09
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