Former Communist Party of Malaya leader Abdullah CD passes away aged 100 in Thailand

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 13 — Former Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) Abdullah CD has reportedly passed away this morning at the age of 100 years.

Abdullah, also known as Che Dat Anjang Abdullah died in Sukhirin Peace Village in the Narathiwat province of Thailand, at 9.29am this morning, according to a Facebook post by his son-in-law Indra Djaja Abdullah.

Abdullah, a key figure in the anti-colonialist movement, was also the founder of the 10th Regiment of the Malayan People's Army. Abdullah joined the communist movement in 1948, before the independence of Malaya.

Originally from Lambor Kiri, Perak, married an ethnic Chinese, Suriani Abdullah (born Eng Ming Ching).

CPM and the governments of Malaysia and Thailand signed the Hat Yai Peace Agreement in 1989, bringing an end to the armed conflict that had lasted for over 40 years since the British Emergency in 1948.

After the peace agreement, many communist leaders, including Abdullah, Chin Peng and Rashid Maidin, chose to stay in Thailand and did not return to Malaysia. They have since become Thai citizens.

Following his death, many national leaders expressed condolences to the late leader, including Parti Amanah Negara President Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu, former PKR deputy president Syed Husin Ali, Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Abdul Karim and PSM deputy chairman S Arutchelvan.