Pritam Singh and Dennis Tan Return from Historic Trip to Betong and Penang

SINGAPORE: Workers’ Party MPs Pritam Singh (Aljunied GRC) and Dennis Tan (Hougang SMC) are home from a five-day, four-night trip to Betong and Penang they took, along with 130 residents, just in time for Vesak Day weekend, June 2 to 4.

The WP Chief posted photos of the trip on Facebook late on Thursday night (June 1), giving somewhat of a history lesson about Betong, a town in southern Thailand near the Malaysian border, which Mr Singh noted is less well-known to Singaporeans than the more familiar Penang.

Betong, he explained, “is where elements of the Malayan Communist Party (MCP) found refuge after the end of Malayan Emergency in 1960. The fight continued for decades until the Hatyai Peace Agreement was signed in 1989 between the MCP, Malaysian and Thai governments. While the heavy history of the past is quickly becoming a forgotten chapter of history, Betong remains pregnant with memory for many.”

Mr Singh added that he had been fortunate to have heard the leader of the MCP, Chin Peng, speak when he had visited Singapore with special permission.

Chin, who was born Ong Boon Hua and who died in 2013 in exile in Thailand, visited Singapore in 2004 to give a seminar. He also met with Singapore’s founding Prime Minister, Lee Kwan Yew.

Mr Singh, who wrote that he had been able to hear Chin’s “side of history” during his visit to Singapore, added in his post that it “was fascinating to connect the terrain around Betong and the guerilla campaign waged by the MCP while visiting places of interest there.”

As for Penang, the Leader of the Opposition wrote that it “was lovely. Full stop.”

He also wrote that he was looking forward to more tours off the beaten track in the future with residents and that, in this light, suggestions would be “very welcome.”

/TISG

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