Penang CM: Hew’s Intentions Misunderstood

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Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow today defended Hew Kuan Yau, saying the man behind the controversial comic book on China had good intentions which had been misunderstood.

He said Hew had merely wanted Malaysians to see China in a new light, free from the tint of communism.

“Hew’s intention was to give an alternative introduction to China and its economic development,” he said, adding that the reaction to the comic may have been fuelled by ulterior motives.

Chow said the Home Ministry was hasty in banning the comic book as communist propaganda.

“Within a day, it was banned, and many had no chance to read it. I feel the authorities should look at the real purpose of why the comic book was published instead of outright banning it.”

Speaking in a press conference at Komtar here, he added that there had been talk of historians wanting to deliberate on the authenticity of the book.

Chow, who is DAP’s national vice-chairman, said the comic book had merely been a platform to showcase the development of socialism in China.

“Although it was once known as a communist country, today it has thousands of billionaires,” he added.

Sayuti Zainudin

“Even the prime minister and his ministers have visited China a few times to talk about trade.”

Chow said authorities should consider that Hew wanted to introduce China as an alternative to the US as a global superpower.

He noted that aside from curating for the Asia Comic Cultural Museum, Hew had also been the chief executive officer of the Malaysia China Business Council.

Chow claimed China was misunderstood politically and Hew meant only to highlight the country’s economic success.

“It was his intention to give an alternative introduction to China regarding its economic development,” he said.

When asked about the state government’s financial support for the Asia Comic Cultural Museum, Chow said the museum itself was not banned.

He also said the museum did not belong to the state government, which only supported it by paying for its rental.

“The museum was set up in 2016 and chose to set up in ICT Mall at Level Two of Komtar during a time when the state government was taking steps to rejuvenate Komtar,” he said.

He said at the time, the state government was bringing in businesses to Komtar including The Top, ICT Mall and Tech Dome, and the state decided to support the museum when it chose to move there.

“It is a tourism product that is unique in Malaysia and even Asia, it is a comic museum that promotes creativity and animation where various events were held by famous comic artists there,” he said.

He said this was the reason why the state decided to collaborate with the museum by paying for their rental but stated that the state did not fund the exhibits or infrastructure in the museum.

“We only support in terms of rental and the rental goes to Penang Development Corporation, this is the only link between the state and the museum,” he said.

He said the state has an agreement with the museum to support it until December 2020.

Yesterday, officials from the home ministry seized 15 copies of the Belt and Road Initiative for Win Winism comic book from a district education office.

The books which were in Mandarin were taken from the Northeast District Education Office at Northam Road, Penang.

The report said the officials would remove books from the Southwest District Education Office as well.

The officials also said they had taken 13 copies of the book from the Asia Comic Cultural Museum.