Malaysian finance minister admits writing foreword for banned pro-China comic

The Home Ministry recently banned the book, which was distributed in some schools, for cultural insensitivity

Lim Guan Eng, who did not deny writing the foreword, refused to say more, citing legal process

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Malaysian Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng. Photo: AP

Published: 3:15pm, 30 Oct 2019Updated: 3:38pm, 30 Oct 2019

Malaysian Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng has chosen to remain tight-lipped over the foreword that he penned in the controversial and now-banned pro-China comic book, “Belt & Road Initiative for Win-Winism”.

Speaking to the press for the first time since the controversy erupted, Lim claimed he did not want to say anything to allow ex-politician Hew Kuan Yau and the comic book authors to pursue legal action.

“I understand that there is a legal process that Hew wants to undertake and until then, I don’t want to comment so that this legal process can be followed and exhausted.

“I don’t want to give any appearance of interference or abuse of power, or have my comments be distorted, so let it be for now,” he told reporters at Parliament on Wednesday.

When asked to confirm if he indeed wrote the foreword for the comic book, Lim retorted “Don’t you know how to read? It’s all there, we’re not denying it.”

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