TYCOON Robert Kuok says he was an intermediary between the Malaysian and Chinese governments in the 1980s, through which he helped bring an end to the Malayan Communist Party (MCP).

“I think it is fair to say that Malaysia regards me as the Malaysian with the best contacts in China. Because of my connections on both sides, I was called upon several times to act as a conduit between the two governments,” he wrote in his memoir, a copy of which was obtained by The Malaysian Insight. 

Kuok said former Special Branch director Abdul Rahim Noor contacted him for help. 

Kuok said his Chinese contact was Zhong Pak, or Uncle Zhong, who he later learnt was a member of China’s National Security Ministry. 

“The Special Branch contacted me often to say, ‘Can you pass this message to China?’,” Kuok wrote.

Requests included asking the Chinese government to “silence” the MCP radio, which was making broadcasts hostile to the Malaysian government.

“I passed the word and the radio was silenced. The Special Branch sent a message of thanks for my intervention through my man in Kuala Lumpur, Lim Chee Wah,” Kuok wrote. 

Chee Wah is one of the heirs of the Genting entertainment group.

The Malaysian government said they wanted assurances from China that it would stop supporting MCP and Chin Peng, its leader. 

“Rahim Noor one day said to me, ‘We have sent our emissaries to the jungles to talk with Chin Peng’s people. You have already given us some indication of China’s attitude, that they are no longer supporting the MCP.

“‘This seems to be the case and what our agents are observing. But can we please have something in writing, stating to what extent China is withdrawing its support?’”

After communicating the request to Zhong, Kuok was invited by one of the latter’s assistant to travel to Guangzhou from Hong Kong to help go through a draft message by “a very senior State leader”.

“So, on the appointed day, I left about noon and arrived in Guangzhou two hours later. A car met me, and the drive seemed like a James Bond scene. 

“We drove and drove, turning far more corners than necessary. They were trying to lose anybody who might be tailing us,” Kuok wrote.

At a dimly lit “simple, ordinary house”, Kuok met with “No. 1”, a party official he recalled meeting but could not place where. 

Kuok wrote he was presented with a draft message and was asked for his comments.

“Luckily, by then, I was reading Chinese fairly well. The text was written over two or three pages. It wasn’t address to anyone; it was just a position statement.”

Kuok said he told it was “a good statement” with two exceptions.

“You should have stopped here,” Kuok told them. “First you are talking pluses; these extra few words are like cold water. These are all minus words.”

Kuok wrote of more editing, after which, he delivered the amended message to Rahim which “seemed to do the trick.”

A few months later, the Malaysian government and Chin Peng signed a truce agreement. 

“His people came out of the jungle, symbolically laid down their arms, pledged allegiance to Malaysia and the Malaysian Communist Party was no more.” – November 28, 2017.

‘Robert Kuok, A Memoir’ is available in Hong Kong exclusively at Bookazine, and in all major bookshops in Singapore and Malaysia. It will be released in Indonesia on January 1.