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well said.
Malaysian should be more open to this topic.

Bro lamdog..... The problem is the ministers or not open minded.. don't blame us....

Comsumer Behavior 101, the minute you ban a product, the more the people(masses) will want it. E.g. The Da Vinci Code and the church and Lelaki Komunis Terakhir.

But then again, we must not forget history and the people that contributed to our freedom regardless of creed and ideology. Aye, aye Captian! Well said!

Ministers pay attention to the patriot!

Excellant call by Capt Lawrence.

It is worthwhile to reiterate that at the onset of this ban-ban issue most (was it all?) of those big-shot leaders who opened their BIG mouths to call for a ban, and those who even wrote RED HOT articles calling for a ban did so without even having watched the "Last Communist" personally.

Make noise, (try) to appear patriotic and look good. When their tin kosong antics were revealed, not a peep of apology. Only covering their backsides.

Such is the calibre of many of the leaders and some reporters.

Would it be too unkind to think that in their eyes, history is probably something which they consider pliable, to be selectively recalled, or worse, moulded and twisted to fit their ends and goals? What has been their track record in this respect?

A title for a book, a novel, an article or even a film does not necessary tell us the whole story.
The same situation happened. Lelaki Komunis Terakhir ACTS like a symbolic manner to the documentary film.
So, am I telling you that Chin Peng is an actor in this film?
The answer is, I don't know. But the truth lies within the movie and the government shouldn't have banned the publication for SOME people's interest.
Let the rakyat judge the quality and its content.
This is a democratic country. We have the rights to know about the communist activites during the war and the post-war period.
Good work from the Captain Lawrence Chew.

My humble respect to Capt Lawrence.

As a youth of the new millennium, I felt today's youth are more open-minded than our ministers and that "Lelaki Komunis Terakhir" should be screens in cinemas.

By watching the movie, one would be able to learn more about the history of Malaysia and thus, one would have more respect and love to the country. Surely this would not be bad....

No wonder the non-Bumis are not welcome into the armed forces. The Malays can't stand objective opinions. In Congo in the sixties, a non-Bumi officer was demoted for upholding duties to protect the Italian civilians who were later found murdered by rebels because the Malay UN peacekeepers led by their officers reasoned with the overwhelming rebel forces for survival sake left their position to allow the rebels to moved in.

Dear DTSV, please provide more details about the events in Congo.

Its a known fact that the communist protected the locals from the Japanese. The British & Many wealthy locals contributed to the communist for their protection against the Japs.

Things went bad after the British sided the Malay Party & left the PKM fate in limbo. Its a profitable move for the British.

I feel sad for the PKM who stood for us, defending this nation but in return is treated this way. The real heroes.

Face the reality, people!

This country still have many TABOO that are "reusable" by ruling parties from time to time.

Since PKR play heavy role during WW2 in Malaya, some "powderful" just don't want people to touch their treachery pass during the occupations.

Every action, there is an equal reaction. If too open minded, it won't be good also.

You have the power, but do you know how to control the power.

By the way brother tjwork, are you with PKR before this or knowing the organization, manifesto and ideology inside out? Or maybe, you were there flighting like Captain Lawrence? Please tell us more as you are saying they are the real heroes…

No doubt PKR fight for us during the occupation, but their ideology that time just couldn’t work in this country.

Dear Geovanni,

Im not that old if thats your question.

You should understand British's options at that time. I felt they picked the easy way out, a profitable solution rather than reforming their former ally.

No doubt that communism would not be acceptable by all, but its an idea, thats all. And how could you say their idealogy could not work? Have you tried it? Or have we given it a chance?

The real deal is the implementation. Any idealogy could work when the people are ready. I mean, look at democracy in some countries, its looks like a mask to another form of structure.

The war veterans i met had a different perspective from the textbook history. Well then its their perspective.

Each and every action has its reaction...

Each and every action also has its pros and cons.

That is why an open mind should be opt to evaluate all pros and cons before making any judgement. Plus, different people would have different type of view of everything and "A man's food might be another's poison".

This is the next step in emulating the east.
Selectively remove history from the people keep them ignorant.
Unlike China who is loud enought, the PKN's voice is drown out when our history textbook are distored to fit the goverment's agenda.

I wonder whether the readers here have ever read the other articles which has appeared before stating the views of other veterans, be it WW2 or the Emergency, who felt the opposite?

The problem with todays generation is that while being open minded, they never really could comprehend the situation faced then, and is all to quick to accept the vanilla flavoured 'truth' that some ex CTs have written about their account of the Emergency. It gets worst because the personal recollections of those security forces, or even the average citizen who went through WW2 and the Emergency are no longer published, nor was there a lot to begin with.

To have people here who actually say that the CTs were better for the country than what we have now is plain lunacy, not only because its offensive, but it would never be accepted by the majority of this country.

That the CTs were pawns in the bigger game of the British is sad, but they also created havoc and mayhem prior to the setting up of the BMA, and they caused much hardship and suffering to Malayans during the Emergency.

As for DTSV, what facts does he have to back up his claims? And even if the Malayan group retreated at the time, what were the odds stacked against them? Civillians just do not have any idea the realities of military life that is easy for them to pass judgement without ever being to gauge the levels of stress, threats that the military man faces in conducting his work. For that, such comments are unjust and unqualified.

As for Non-Bumis not welcomed in the armed forces, the opposite is even truer. Of course they are welcomed, because theres not that many of them to begin with. I know of many non bumi military officers but the question that needs to be asked is, will a non Bumi in this day and age, be able

1. to take commands from a Bumi, through much of his career if not all?

2. be able to accept the low salaries?

3. be able to accept that the armed forces is majority Bumi?

4. to take orders even if they don't agree with it?

Its a big misconception that non Bumis are treated unfairly in the Armed Forces. For the most part, they get very good training, in fact the last Malaysian officer to attend Sandhurst was a Chinese Major. Yet, the people who comment here, who I believe, are mostly non Bumis, spread an entirely different gospel. One wonders whether some here are out to undermine our society?

Hi tjwork,

Ok ok, I just thought you might have things to share.

I agree with you that democracy in certain countries does not work as it suppose to be. Well, the democracy makes the strong even stronger.

But then again, the communist ideology that time certainly won't work, if not, we have stood by them and fight the Brits together. It's a multi racial country afterall, and history is for us to see that country with communist system have different set-up of people.

Nowsday, the ideology had changed, following the change of time. The communist today is no longer like the communist we saw last time. They have to change. So the ideology is different and irrelevant now.

This kind of thing is not like lesson you learn in your chemistry class. Cannot just try and see if people is ready. Even they said so, they won't be ready. All this habors thru desperate time, sweat and blood. Just like you and me will not give up the little bit of freedom we have so far.

Tackle the problem, not supporting the communist for the sake of making it relevant. The problem lies with the people who lead us, who is yet to open up to changes, (and looking at it they will never) changes require to bring us all to another level of perspective. Seeing and learn the history consciously.

The CPM had a moral duty to fight the japanese because their motherland, china was invaded.
While there may be support for the CPM as patriots for doing so, the Minister Mentor south of the johore straits, which many held in high regards, acted as a translator for the japanese.
When the war was over, a power vaccum presided, and CPM took their chances to rule the country. History have shown that they have failed to do so, but in pursuing their ambition, many innocent lives were lost.
The CPM did not fight for this country during WW II. It was an extension of the war in china.
If the CPM had prevailed in taking over the country, all the estates and tin mines would have been nationalised, and many of your parents would have died in some agricultural commune due to hard labour or disease.
the only beneficial effect that I can think of if CPM were to rule this country will be less sekolah agama for the muslim community.

On statement made above about an incident in congo , it would be fitting would it not, for the malays in the army to side with the Bumis in Congo.
The non-bumi officer therefore was lucky to get away with demotion for risking the life of his countrymen at the expense of foreigners.
However to be fair, no mention was made on the status of the italians. Were they money grabbing miners and land owners , soldiers or what? It could not have been a family because most would have left the trouble spot for safety unless they are loonies.

Dear Geovanni,

The communism idea is not a bad idea. Only the negative points are taken into consideration.

What was not known is the ability to unite multi cultural & multi-religion people togather. Not devide them according to race & religion.

The problem was poverty, in a land where the country does very well, no one will complain.

I mean, It makes one question, what is the purpose of democracy when there is a superior race & special rights?

Communism address these issues & the main concern is to prevent race/religious civil wars. Think about it, if theres no race or religion, there will be no wars & hatred.

So, in this sense, communism is good, what is bad is people are not ready to leave their culture/race/religion for something modern.

End of the day, its how our leaders implement the idea.

Dear Sydput,

I agree to some degree about CPM and the war in china. However, it was the people in malaya that seek after the chinese advise to fight the japs.

The chinese helped the people here in terms of training & mentorship. And I have to say, they did a good job defending.

CPM was a counter measure to the japs when the british relieved. It was not an extention of the war in China, it was started by people in malaya and was fought in malaya most of the time. I have to say, to date, this was the first multi-raced party that fought for this country.

I cant speak for CPM if they took over malaya. But one thing for sure, there wont be any beheadings of locals & young girls wont become sex slaves.

So, the locals had to choose the less evel between the both.

At the same time, after WW2, King david's hotel was bombed by jewish freedom fighters (or some may say terrorist). While they happen to become the next ruling party, it was another story in malaya.

The same people that were in juruselam were posted to malaya & they pledge not to deal with these type of terorist.

With the CPM's pressure & the unexpected assination of some top british officers, they knew it was time to pack up & leave.

Note that the change of management made the mess.

Either way, the british was to leave, they can either give their power to CPM & loose all their assets here or deal with the Malay party (soon to be called umno & gang) & take as much money back to britain.

And you could guess what they did. In the process, they left CPM to the dogs.

Again, this is not something you will read in the buku sejarah, A little bit of time in any overseas library will reveal what happened.

I believe the british called the war with the CPM "the war of the running dogs" during the emergency years.
After WWII, the british had no appetite for colonies as they had suffered greatly in financial terms. One of the conditions for American assistance in WWII was for the british giving up its colonial past. Hence most of the colonies were given independence without much fuss, unlike the indochinese and Indonesians.
The CPM had maoist tendencies. They may not treat women like slaves because everyone will end up being slaves.
The british did not leave with their assets as you mentioned. Their estates remain under British hands. And so did their mining companies. It was under mahathir in the famous dawn raid that brought the se assets into mmalaysian government hands.
Even after independence, the British fought on to keep CPM from taking over this country. The humane CPM you mentiond did many heinious things to malayans. You can read these in books printed overseas that are sold locally.

sydput,

British played psychological warfare and carried propaganda that tainted the CPM. CPM might not as bad as we knew from the textbook. If they were that bad, do you think young people would sacrifice their good living and stay in the forest with virtually nothing at all?

Talk about humane, do you think that forced relocation into designated area an act of humane? I was told that most people were given only 2 hours notice to move out?

Note that our understandings on CPM is just one-sided story, written by those living comfortably in the city.

Dear Sydput, allow me to comment further:

1. Did you know that the british did worse things than the CPM to the locals?

2. British left with alot of their assets, however, many remained with their estates & mines.

3. Yes, the CPM did bad things to the locals, but their anger was towards the british - as to cause destabilisation. Not to massacare locals.

4. Its strange that you dont know what a slave is. We were slaves to the british & we are still slaves now, Japs & CPM actually broke this monopoly.

5. Books sold here only narrate a one sided story.

6. CPM had Malays, Chinese & Indians fighting side by side for a real cause (japs time). Where else did you see this type of patiotism? (they were not paid, they just fought for freedom)

7. Im not glorifying the CPM, They did many rights & some wrongs & as Yxgs elequently wrote, tainted by the British. As a result, it became a catalyst for the umno & gang to achieve independence. I have great respect for both CPM & the malayan army. May them all rest in peace.