resources." After the founding of the party the adoption of a new party constitution and a party programme for New Democratic Revolution were announced. The latter document, adopted at the first sitting of the MCP Central Committee on 5 December 1983 contained ten points; including the 'overthrow the reactionary regime, bureaucratic capitalists, feudalism and imperialism', establishment of a People's Republic of Malaysia, abolishing 'all reactionary laws', respect of religious freedom, confiscating companies under foreign monopoly capital and bureaucratic monopoly capital, seize lands occupied by big landlords (but not lands owned by wealthy farmers, tani kaya), redistributing already nationalised lands to landless peasants, eradicate forced labour, equality of all nationalities of Malaysia, oppose imperialism and neo-colonialism, upholding proletarian internationalism. Moreover, whilst CPM insisted on organising in both in the (Malaysian part of) Malaya and Singapore, MCP acknowledged the Malaysian statehood and the political separation between Malaysia and Singapore. Organisation and auxiliary bodies MCP was estimated to have around 800 fighters, according to Thai military sourced quoted in the Bangkok Post the MCP merger brought together some 500 guerrilla fighters from CPM/ML and some 300 guerrilla fighters from the CPM/RF (whilst the original CPM was estimated to have between 800 and 1,300 fighters at the time). MCP had an armed wing, the Malaysian People's Liberation Army (MPLA). It had a front organisation, named the Malaysian People's Liberation League (previously known as the Malayan People's Liberation Union, the erstwhile front organisation of CPM/ML). It ran a clandestine radio broadcast from southern Thailand, named the 'Voice of the People of Malaysia' (previously the 'Voice of the People of Malaya', new name announced 11 December 1983). The Voice of the People of Malaysia was broadcast in Malay, Standard Chinese, Cantonese and Tamil. Thai offensive against MPLA With the establishment of diplomatic relations between Thailand and the People's Republic of China in 1976 and the cessation of Chinese logistic support for the Communist Party of Thailand in 1981, the Thai authorities were emboldened to confront the communist armed forces in the country. A joint military-civilian campaign against the MCP was launched, modelled after a similar campaign against Thai communist insurgents in north-eastern Thailand. In particular the Second MPLA Military District was affected by the Thai campaign. On 28 December 1983, the Thai military announced a joint Malaysian-Thai offensive in the border areas. In 1984 and 1985 Thai authorities sent out peace feelers to MCP. Surrender On