The Rusa Merah : Reflections on a revolutionary

Abstract

In June 1948, the Malayan Communist Party, under the direction of its General Secretary, Chin Peng, launched its armed challenge to British colonial authority in Malaya. The Communist bid for power was destined to be unsuccessful. As leader of the 'armed struggle ', much of the responsibility for the events surrounding the challenge must be attributed to Chin Peng. To mark the 40th Anniversary of the Communist challenge to power, this paper offers some observations on his revolutionary leadership. It draws upon a selection of secondary sources and personal interviews conducted by the author.