Bersatu Youth wants DAP to discipline pro-Hew grassroots

• Updated with comments from Bersatu Youth

Bersatu Youth wants DAP to discipline its grassroots members who chastised Education Minister Maszlee Malik for banning a comic by former DAP member Hew Kuan Yau.

Forty-three DAP grassroots members had in a statement today, reiterated Hew's remarks that Maszlee was dancing to the tune of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak who had complained about the comic.

"Stop this provocation," Bersatu Youth information chief Ulya Aqamah Husamudin said in a statement.

"Discipline them who are members and grassroots leaders who attack their own ministers," he added.

He said that Bersatu Youth will also be lodging a police report over the comic on China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and authored by Hew. 

Among those who signed today's DAP statement were DAP Youth secretary Eric Teh, Selangor DAP Youth deputy chief Koo Jeng Teng and Sabah Youth and Sports Minister Phoong Jin Zhe.

Four Pahang DAP assemblypersons also signed it including Chiong Yoke Kong (Tanah Rata), Chow Yu Hui (Tras), Lee Chin Chen (Bilut) dan Leong Yu Man (Triang).

Although the comic has been long in circulation, controversy erupted after Najib publicised attempts on having the book distributed in schools.

Najib had alleged that the book contained pro-DAP propaganda while demonising him. Hew had argued that this was not true as the book was meant to explain the BRI.

The DAP grassroots had argued that Maszlee should not ban a comic book from schools if it is factual even if it was a BN-era book about Najib.

As such, they said the BRI for Win-Winism comic should be allowed in schools as it encourages friendship between Malaysia and China.

"Even though it contains political elements about before and after the May 9 election, it is based on facts and there are no lies or hyperboles and it is not full of DAP propaganda as claimed by Najib.

"As long as it does not contravene universal values, university libraries and even secondary schools should give space for intellectual books.

"Just as we did not oppose the Transformasi Najib comic being placed in schools because we believe students can think independently," they said.

Transformasi Najib was a comic that was reportedly distributed in schools sometime in 2012 and contained among others a conversation between soldiers on whether they supported the government or the opposition.