Malaysia bans pro-China comic book on BRI for 'promoting communism'

The Malaysian government has banned issues of a pro-China comic book related to Beijing's sprawling Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), citing security concerns and "promotion of communism and socialism".

According to a statement by the Malaysian Home Ministry, the book titled 'Belt and Road Initiative for Win-Winism', authored by politician Hew Kuan Yau, seeks to "spread false, misleading facts about communists while trying to generate support and sympathy for the communist struggle," CNN reported.

The ministry said that the book could spread dissent among the multi-racial communities in Malaysia and could pose a risk to law and order in the country.

The controversial comic features a veiled woman seen standing in front of a detention camp with a caption suggesting that Malays who backs Uighur Muslims in China are radicals.

The book has been banned under the country's Printing Presses and Publication Act. A person has to cough up 20,000 Malaysian ringgit and will be sent to three years in prison if he or she is found guilty of printing, producing, selling or distributing the comic.

On October 17, Malaysian media had reported that the education ministry had not approved the comic's distribution after it was distributed in some of the high schools, fuelling a controversy over its content.

The ministry had directed state education departments and district education offices to ensure that the comic book does not get distributed in other schools.

Speaking about the controversy, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad had said on Monday, "I believe that China will have a great influence over the whole world in the future but, for the moment, it is not for us to promote Chinese ideas and ideology."

The 94-year-old leader, who has criticised the previous Najib Razak administration for cosying up to China added, "As much as we do not want the influence of the West in our strategies, in our schools, we also do not want other countries to have undue influence over our young people."

Since assuming power in May last year, Mahathir has scrapped several projects linked to the BRI citing excessive costs.