Malaysia’s Mahathir joins criticism of comic book linking Malay-Muslim youths to extremism over China’s Uygurs

The publication, distributed in high schools, says ‘radical’ Malay youths may be biased against China due to its treatment of the Muslim minority

The controversy has put a spotlight on the inner workings of the Pakatan Harapan administration, now accused of favouring ethnic Chinese interests

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Malaysia's controversial comic linking ‘radical’ Malay-Muslims to support for China’s Uygurs.

Published: 8:00am, 22 Oct 2019Updated: 10:33am, 22 Oct 2019

A Malaysian-made, pro-Beijing comic book distributed in schools in the Southeast Asian nation has sparked outrage for suggesting Malays who support China’s Muslim Uygurs are radicals, with Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad also condemning the publication.

He said while Malaysia viewed China as a friend and supported the idea of the Belt and Road Initiative, Beijing’s global infrastructure development and investment strategy, it was not for the Southeast Asian nation to “promote Chinese ideas and ideologies”.

Responding to a question about the comic book, which was authored by a controversial local ex-politician, Mahathir said any attempt to influence the minds of young Malaysians was “not good”.

“Young people must understand the problems and the strategies and the policies of our own country first, so when they come up against other people’s strategies they know their place,” he said.

Written by Hew Kuan Yau – an ethnic Chinese Malaysian and a former member of the Democratic Action Party (DAP), which is part of the ruling Pakatan Harapan coalition – the 164-page Belt and Road Initiative for Win-Winism comic made waves last week when it was distributed to high schools across the country and its contents later shared on social media.