Ministry investigating distribution of comic book to educational institutions

PONTIAN: The Home Ministry is investigating the unapproved distribution of a comic book titled ‘Belt and Road Initiative for Win Winism', to educational institutions including schools, said Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin yesterday.

Initial investigations by the ministry's security division, indicated that content in the publication was a cause for concern as it had exceeded the boundaries of politics and such, and therefore, stern action would be taken against those behind the distribution, he said, adding that investigations into the matter would not be rushed.

"We need to conduct a detailed investigation into how this incident came about," he said, adding that during his time as Education Minister, no material could be distributed to any party within the school system except with permission from the ministry.

Speaking to the media during a visit to the Pontian district police headquarters, Muhyiddin, who is also the Member of Parliament for Pagoh, said the Education Ministry had called for the publications to be pulled back.

On Thursday, the Education Ministry issued a statement stressing that it had not approved the distribution of the publication.

Muhyiddin also commented on another matter concerning the demonstration by representatives of five nongovernmental organisations outside the entrance to the University of Malaya yesterday, in support of vice-chancellor Datuk Dr Abdul Rahim Hashim whom the representatives claimed, was pressured to resign following an act of protest by UM graduate Wong Yan Ke towards the vice-chancellor during the institution's recent convocation.

Wong had held up a banner which accused Abdul Rahim of racism and called for the latter's resignation when receiving his scroll on stage.