Home Ministry Bans Chinese Propaganda Comic Book For Being Racially Insensitive

The comic book, 'Belt & Road Initiative For Win-Winism', has been in circulation in the country for a while now. However, it ran into controversies last week when it was found in school libraries, reported Malaysiakini.

Reportedly, 2,500 Bahasa Malaysia copies of the comic book were sent to schools as reference material, according to Free Malaysia Today.

Acting on complaints, the Home Ministry gazetted a prohibition order on the comic book on Wednesday, 23 October, saying that it may "endanger public order and security".

"The content of this publication promotes the ideology of communism and socialism, the spread of false and confusing facts on communists, and invokes support and sympathy towards the communism cause," said the Home Ministry in a statement.

"The content of this publication is deemed to be insensitive towards Malaysians of multiracial and multireligious backgrounds, and it is a worry that it could disrupt the harmony and unity of the people in this country," it added.

The 164-page comic book casts a negative light on the Western world, while portraying China and its Belt & Road Initiative (BRI) project as the beaming future.

The cover of the book shows Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad shaking the hand of China's president Xi Jinping - a scene that is similar to when Dr Mahathir gifted the comic book to Xi when the two met in Beijing this April.

In one of the pages, it described Malaysian Malays as "radicals" for sympathising with ethnic Uyghurs in China - a community that is allegedly being put in 're-education camps', reported Malaysiakini.

It also cited a survey from Merdeka Centre, stating that 18% of Malaysian Muslims supported the Jemaah Islamiah terror group - the highest percentage among Muslims in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand, reported Malay Mail.

MCA secretary-general Datuk Chong Sin Woon criticised the comic book distribution in the school, citing that the content will "poison the minds of our students", reported The Star.

As for the Prime Minister, Dr Mahathir said it is not the country's job to promote China's Belt-Road Initiative and any effort to influence the mind of the youth is "not good", reported South China Morning Post.

Democratic Action Party (DAP) member and Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh also echoed similar sentiments.

In a statement, the group, who was unhappy with Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik's decision to ban the comic book on school grounds, asked if he was serving Pakatan Harapan or UMNO, reported New Straits Times.

Former Prime Minister Datuk Sri Najib Razak had also accused that the comic book for spreading DAP's political ideology and threatening the Malay community.

The comic book was curated by Hew Kuan Yau, a former DAP member who is known for making controversial statements in the past.

Despite leaving DAP in 2016, Hew maintained a good relationship with the party. He became the chief executive officer of Malaysia-China Business Council (MCBC) earlier this year, reported Malaysiakini.

Najib shared a page of the comic book on his Facebook, which saw Lim Guan Eng signing the foreword. He also shared a picture of Deputy Education Minister Teo Nie Ching with Hew, where both were seen holding the comic book together.

According to Free Malaysia Today, Hew - together with the comic artist, the printer, and the producer from the Asia Comic Cultural Museum - were called to Bukit Aman police headquarters for questioning.

"No arrests have been made so far," Hew told reporters after being questioned for three hours yesterday, 23 October.

"The police were very polite. We told them we will be giving the documents. So far, we do not know if there will be anything else (any other questioning) after this."

"Where to buy the infamous comic? Anyone got scans of the whole comic? (sic)," a Lowyat member started a forum on the matter.

"Please scan and share here," another forum member wrote, "I want to see how much of a**-licking China the comic has. (sic)"

However, the public is advised against buying the comic book as it is currently banned under Section 7(1) of the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 (Act 301), reported New Strait Times.

The Home Ministry said anyone who prints, imports, publishes, circulates, or sells the comic book will face imprisonment up to three years, a fine of RM20,000, or both.