Lai Teck
Communist Party of Malaya leader and suspected double agent.
via Wikipedia: Lai Teck · see source
Lai Teck (real name Phạm Văn Đắc or Hoang A Nhac; 1901–1947) was a leader of the Communist Party of Malaya and Malayan People's Anti-Japanese Army. A person of mixed Sino-Vietnamese descent, prior to his arrival in Malaya, Lai Teck was believed to have led his life as Truong Phuoc Dat until 1934, during which Dat disappeared and Lai Teck appeared.
Quick Facts
- Office
- Secretary-General of Communist Party of Malaya
- Took office
- April 1939
- Left office
- 6 March 1947
- Predecessor
- Yang Shaomin
- Successor
- Chin Peng
- Birth name
- Hoang A Nhac or Phạm Văn Đắc
- Born
- 1901
- Disappeared date
- 6 March 1947 (1901)
Facts from the source article.
Biography
Lai Teck was born in 1901 in Bà Rịa, now part of Bà Rịa–Vũng Tàu province, under the name Hoang A Nhac or Phạm Văn Đắc. His successor Chin Peng noted that he oddly selected the party alias 'Wright', which was transcribed into Chinese as Láitè. Depending on the Chinese dialect, this name was then retranslated into English as 'Lai Teck' from Hokkien, 'Loi Teck' from Cantonese, or even reinterpreted as 'Lighter'. It is believed he once spied for the French in Indochina until he was exposed. Afterwards, it was alleged that British security services recruited him and sent him to Singapore in 1934 to penetrate the Communist Party of Malaya. He succeeded remarkably, using the colonial police to eliminate rivals within the party, climbing the ranks to become secretary general in April 1939. Possibly due to his background, he guided the party away from conflict with the British and fully adopted the Communist International's policy of cooperating with the United States and Western European powers against Nazi Germany and Japan. While many top CPM leaders escaped Singapore before the Japanese captured it, Lai Teck stayed and was caught in a Japanese sweep in early March 1942. Most communists were executed, but he was released after a few days. Later evidence, including Japanese archival documents, strongly suggests he saved himself by agreeing to work as a Japanese agent. In August 1942, he organized a full meeting of the CPM's Central Executive Committee, state party officials, and MPAJA group leaders at the Batu Caves, about ten miles north of Kuala Lumpur. On 1 September 1942, over 100 senior CPM and MPAJA members gathered near the caves for a secret conference. At dawn, the Japanese launched a surprise raid, wiping out most of the high command in a one-sided fight. Lai Teck, who was supposed to be there, was absent, later claiming his car had broken down.
Disappearance
By 1946, growing evidence backed earlier whispers within the party that Lai Teck was disloyal. Younger, more radical members grew restless, pushing for action. He lost several sensitive positions, and an inquiry was launched. A Central Executive Committee meeting was set for 6 March 1947 to confront him with the accusations. Lai Teck never showed up. Instead, he fled with most of the party's money, first hiding in Singapore, then moving to Hong Kong, and finally to Thailand.
Aftermath
After Lai Teck left, Chin Peng became the new party leader. Chin Peng later said that in 1947 he traveled to Bangkok and Hong Kong, where he asked local communist groups to help find and kill Lai Teck. Communists from Vietnam and Thailand assisted in the search. The Thai communist leader eventually told Chin Peng that Lai Teck had died by accident in Bangkok. Three Thai communists had tried to capture him, and during the struggle he was suffocated. His body was then placed in a gunny sack and thrown into the Menam River.
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