In a video circulating from 7 November 2023, MP for Kepala Batas, Siti Mastura made claims that DAP veteran, Lim Kit Siang along with the late Singaporean Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew were cousins of Chin Peng, the once leader of the Malayan Communist Party (MCP) that mostly comprised of people from the Chinese community.
The aftermath of colonialism and the second world war witnessed a nation that was trying to find its identity. Differences in political and economic ideologies motivated various actors to pursue what they envisioned would be the best course of action for the nation—-which in some instances transcended into violence. Malaysia’s difficult past with communism and the MCP has resulted in detrimental connotations on communist ideology and by extension its linkages to the Chinese community.
While communist ideologies have become miniscule in the mainstream discourse of the nation, it remains politicised by various actors for their own political gain. Baseless allegations that Kit Siang, a DAP veteran and former party leader, had ties to Chin Peng feed into this narrative. Siti Mastura’s actions of associating key figures in the political landscape with false pretences for political purposes will have damaging implications.
