Najib shows Guan Eng’s foreword in comic book as Hew takes down Facebook page

(FMT) – Najib Razak has questioned DAP’s denial that the party endorsed a controversial comic book praising China, citing a foreword to the book by party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, and a photograph of Deputy Education Minister Teo Nie Ching taking delivery of a copy of the book last month.

The former prime minister shared a screenshot of the “foreword’ to “Inisiatif Jalur dan Jalan – Meraih Manfaat Bersama”, published by former DAP man Hew Kuan Yau.

In the foreword, Lim congratulated Hew for explaining China’s Belt and Road Initiative in a “simple and easy to understand matter”.

Najib said Lim should explain his foreword to the book as DAP leaders had previously denied that the party had anything to do with the publication.

The 164-page comic book drew criticism after news that 2,500 copies in Bahasa Malaysia were distributed to school libraries as reference material.

Among those critical of Hew was PPBM Youth leader Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman and Education Minister Maszlee Malik, who barred the book from being distributed to schools.

Critics also accused Hew of racism for labelling as “extremists” those who had sympathised with the persecuted Uighur minority in China.

Najib today also shared a photograph of Maszlee’s deputy Teo accepting a copy of the book from Hew, about a month before publisher Asia Comic Cultural Museum said it was distributing the book to 2,500 schools.

“Hew Kuan Yau visited the deputy minister at the Ministry of Education on Sept 12, 2019 to present the propaganda comic,” wrote Najib.

“The propaganda comic was later distributed to all secondary schools in early October. Did Maszlee ask how Hew Kuan Yau was able to get addresses of the 2,500 secondary schools?” he asked.

Najib said the photographs of Teo receiving the book at her ministry was posted on Hew’s Facebook which has since been deactivated.