Penang Gerakan chairman Dato’ Dr Teng Hock Nan would like to clarify that he was only echoing the appeal by Penang-based Citizens International chairman S.M. Mohamed Idris to the government to allow former communist leader Chin Peng to return to Malaysia based purely on humanitarian and compassionate grounds.

In a statement, Dr Teng emphasised that he abhorred terrorist tactics engaged by the Communists and was also against Communist ideology.

“I regret that my earlier statement had been taken out of context by certain quarters to confuse the issue.”

“I understand that Chin Peng’s case was raised in the Cabinet on Wednesday and Gerakan president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon had explained that my stand was made based purely on humanitarian and compassionate grounds,” said Dr Teng.

Dr Teng said he respected the Cabinet’s decision to reaffirm the government’s earlier decision not to allow the return of Chin Peng to Malaysia and considered the case closed.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had said yesterday that allowing Chin Peng to return would open up old wounds and create dissatisfaction among families and next of kind of those who died during the Emergency.