Education Minister Maszlee Malik.
KUALA LUMPUR: Education Minister Maszlee Malik today defended his deputy Teo Nie Ching over a picture of her holding a controversial comic book on China’s Belt and Road Initiative, saying it is not an endorsement of the book which the home ministry has banned for promoting socialism and communism.
“She (Teo) has responded on Facebook saying that she was given the book and took a picture.
“The same incident happened to the prime minister – he was given the book and had his photo taken,” Maszlee said during Minister’s Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat.
He was responding to Mastura Yazid (BN-Kuala Kangsar), who questioned him about Teo’s acceptance of the book, “Belt and Road Initiative for Win Winism”, from author Hew Kuan Yau and its foreword, written by Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng.
Maszlee said it was not an isolated incident and that many ministers would be approached by authors, given their books and asked for their pictures to be taken with them.
“This cannot be seen as evidence of endorsement,” he said. “Teo herself said she never released any statement endorsing the book.
“What is important is that the education minister does not allow the book (to be distributed) in schools. The decision is in my hands,” he added.
Mazlee earlier said that all state and district education offices had been instructed to ensure that schools do not accept and distribute the books.
Replying to Abdul Latiff Abdul Rahman (PAS-Kuala Krai) who asked about the ministry’s measures to stop distribution of the book, he said his ministry was working with the home ministry towards this end.