No Country For Old Chinese Men

Shakespeare said - “all the world’s a stage and all the men and women, merely players”. Like some young dashing hero from a Hong Kong/Singapore action flick, Ring of Fury, or Once Upon a Time in Singapore perhaps, Lee Kuan Yew bravely took front stage in the drama production of Singapore and guided that country through its surprising break from Malaysia, in 1965, to produce a hit. Like a Hero he made a Promise and marshalled that newly nascent country beyond Orwell’s 1984 into a Brave New World, with sincerest apologies to Aldous Huxley. But, since then, the relationship between the two countries became strained, like two aging actors carping each about the other, especially after Singapore raced ahead in the economic stakes, leaving its elderly relative floundering under its own weight, and conflicts - a simple case of Money No Enough maybe. Or maybe it was a heart breaking case of Farewell my Concubine, or, despite their similarities, the two countries could no longer be Happy together. It could be that the two country relationship between Malaysia and Singapore devolved into one of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, with neither country certain which was supposed to be which. Similarly Chin Peng (born Ong Boon Hua) took up the lead role in the independence fight, like the brave, but somewhat incredulous, souls in Feng Xiaogang’s epic The Assembly (2007), to rid Malaya of the British. But, after starring in the role of fighting Japanese invaders at the tail end of the Second World War, and, later, during The Malayan Emergency, Chin Peng continued his premier role under the banner of communism, and, like an old film star, was ousted from Malaya, effectively exiled in 1960. It took another few decades before Chin Peng and the governments of Thailand and Malaysia were able to reach a peace accord. Chin Peng, tired of being relegated to the wings, wanted, just once, to sit in the audience. One of the terms of the 1989 agreement, seemed to be, the ability of the former Communist Party Malaya members to return home - that is, to Malaysia. From Zheng He’s magnificent fleet’s first arriving in Malacca (1405 – 1407), to Tash Aw’s mapping of invisible worlds and silk factories there has been this undeniable link between China, people of Chinese heritage and Malaya/Malaysia. Since the Chinese Civil War between the Kuomintang and the Chinese Communist Party, eventually won by the communists in October 1949, The People’s Republic of China has not relinquished its own particular brand of Socialism (communism). Though its form of communism has been greatly modified over the years, China is, nevertheless, according to the CIA website – a communist state. Earlier in 2009 the Malaysian government signed an agreement with China to banish the need for visas between diplomats of the two countries. Malaysian diplomatic and official passport holders no longer need to have a visa to visit China and vice versa, this is part of a diplomatic understanding between the two countries. During the past few years, thanks to visa restrictions being relaxed since 2000, thousands of students, from communist China, have entered Malaysia to study. Perhaps there is a secret desire for them to teach Malaysians the delights of Kung Fu Mahjong, or the delicate art of the Kung Fu Hustle, and in return learn how Cikcak Man sends others up the wall. As well as study, there have been tens of thousands of Chinese tourists wending their way to the land of Oil Palm and cendol, perhaps to sample Durian Durian and eat laska, or to fathom just how mee rebus is made - Scottish detective plus French puzzle and noodles. Or maybe they come to secretly make sequels to Eat Drink Man Woman (Yin Shi Nan Nu – 1994), called Eat La Drink La Mee Rebus La. But whatever the real reason Chinese visitors have for coming to Malaysia, they are welcomed like Dust in the Wind, and maybe with a Touch of Zen, all, that is, except two. There is a curious ambiguity in the fact that Malaysia now welcomes many thousands of Chinese, from communist China, including diplomats of the communist government, into Malaysia, but refuses to let one old, exiled, Chinese man come home. In the year 2000 Chin Peng, then 76, applied to return to Malaysia, but, due to legal wrangling, this was delayed. Further hearings were scheduled for 2005, but failed. In 2008 Chin Peng again lost his chance to return to Malaysia, while in June this year (2009) Anwar Ibrahim has called for Malaysia to allow Chin Peng to return to the land of his birth, and for him to end his days here. Lee Kuan Yew, who has been allowed to visit Malaysia, had been the whipping boy ever since Singapore and he split from Malaysia. For decades Singapore was the bad object, there to make Malaysia look good, but tides eventually turn, and Singapore became less reliant upon Malaysia as Malaysia did upon Singapore’s wealth. It became a clear case of the tail starting to wag the dog. Then Lee Kuan Yew formerly retired as Singapore’s Prime Minister, in 1990, and eventually demoted himself to Minister Mentor status. With changes in high government politicians in Singapore and in Malaysia, the time was ripe for a little causeway mending, hence the new visit. This visit, however, was not without suspicion, especially as Lee Kuan Yew’s first port of call was Penang, that bastion of the opposition and spiritual brother to Singapore – both being islands, predominantly Chinese and opposing UMNO. Some have seen Lee Kuan Yew’s visit as a chance to kiss and make up, perhaps paving the way for Singapore’s incumbent Prime Minister, and Lee Kuan Yew’s eldest son, Lee Hsien Loong to arrive on a future state visit, maybe. Perhaps if Chin Peng had some political Ang Pow to bring to the party, or was still the lead in a Chinese drama, he too might be allowed back home, but, as a he is reduced from being a leading man to a historical extra, there is little incentive for Malaysia to welcome him back. PREVIOUSLY NOT PUBLISHED BY THE MALAYSIAN INSIDER