Malaysia’s opposition calls for action against those linked to controversial pro-Chinese comic book

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 24, 2019, FMT. The opposition today urged the government to take action against those linked to a controversial comic book on China’s Belt and Road Initiative, including those who penned the foreword, reported the Free Malaysia Today.

Annuar Musa (BN-Keterah) said publication of the “Belt and Road Initiative for Win Winism” comic book, produced by a former DAP firebrand and banned by the home ministry yesterday, could be disastrous for the government.

“It is not enough to ban the comic. How about those who wrote the foreword, those who allowed it to be distributed in schools? They must be held responsible,” Annuar, who is the Umno secretary-general, said when debating the 2020 Budget here today.

The foreword was written by DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, who is also the finance minister.

The comic book was banned on grounds of promoting communism and socialism, as well as containing factual errors. The ministry also said its content could be detrimental to public order and safety.

The 164-page comic book, produced by Hew Kuan Yau, drew criticism after news that 2,500 copies in Bahasa Malaysia had been distributed to school libraries as reference material.

Annuar asked how a minister and deputy minister could be involved in a book found to have pro-communist and socialist content.

While he did not name the deputy minister, he was believed to be referring to Deputy Education Minister Teo Nie Ching, whose pictures with Hew were circulated on social media.

“We challenge the government to take stern action as this could be disastrous for the government,” he said.

Annuar had earlier said that the comic book was merely “the tip of the iceberg”. He also asked if the country had been infiltrated by communist ideologies, or if there were attempts to spread such teachings.