KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 1 — Tan Sri Yuen Yuet Leng, who fought the communist insurgency and survived multiple gunshots and assassination attempts, died this morning.

The 88-year-old succumbed to heart failure at around 6am this morning, according to a brief statement by the police.

Born on September 15, 1927, Yuen joined the police force as a trainee inspector on December 1, 1950 in Kuala Lumpur after a stint as a teacher.

His claim to fame was his exploits in the fight against communist militants, getting shot multiple times during a skirmish in Grik, Perak and even defying his superiors and trekked into the heart of Sarawak’s jungles for a table talk with the leader of the North Kalimantan Communist Party.

In previous interviews, Yuen said he survived seven attempts at his life and had even infiltrated the communists as a spy, feeding his team with information daily through secret messages.

Yuen has also been credited with playing a key role in setting up the 1989 Hatyai Peace Accord, which marked the end of the communist insurgency in Malaysia.

For most of his time in active duty, Yuen was attached to the Special Branch intelligence unit serving in communist hotbeds in Perak and Sarawak, before retiring as Sarawak police chief with the rank of Deputy Commissioner of Police.

He is survived by his wife Puan Sri Chan Choy May, 58, two daughters Susan Yuen, 56, and Marina Chan, 54, and two grandchildren, Brian Hong and Ashyka, both in their 20s, theSun daily reported today.

Yuen’s remains will be buried at the Nilai Memorial Park in Nilai, Negri Sembilan on Saturday at 11am.

Citing his widow, theSun reported that Yuen celebrated his birthday only two weeks ago and was mentally alert even as his health deteriorated.

He would post on his Facebook page and had even wanted to call for a news conference to weigh in on the Bersih 4 rally in August despite being hospitalised then, Chan was reported by theSun as telling reporters when met at the Xiao En Centre funeral parlour in Cheras.

“For him, everything was the nation. The country was the love of his life and that is what he talked about the most. He was not happy with the corrupt practices and adverse goings-on he read everyday.

“He just felt that he had made sacrifices and many people had died fighting for the wellbeing of the nation but seeing what was going on in the country made him very sad,” she was quoted saying.

Yuen retired from service with the rank of police deputy commissioner and had written a book titled “Nation Before Self” chronicling his years in the force before and after Independence, theSun reported.

His wish was to see all the races united, his widow added.