Posted in: Comics | Tagged: Comics, government, Malaysia

The 'Stupid Superman' Comic Tearing Apart the Government in Malaysia

Published Mon, 21 Oct 2019 09:30:17 -0500

The Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party is an Islamist political party with an uneven political past. They currently run the government of the east coast state of Kelantan, and have done since 1990 and have formed a government in Terengganu in coalition. They currently hold 18 of the 222 seats in the federal House of Representatives and have elected parliamentarians or state assembly members in eight of the country's thirteen states. Why are they on Bleeding Cool today?

Well, Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party, abbreviated as PAS want the secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, of the Democratic Action Party, currently in government coalition, to be investigated over a comic book.

Lim Guan Eng has written the foreword for this comic, written by former DAP activist Hew Kuan Yau, conveniently nicknamed for this post, as Superman Hew. In the forward Lim Guan Eng stats that the comic book has the "full support of the DAP". Hew had quit the DAP in July 2016 after stating that the South China Sea belonged to China, including previously undisputed waters such as the Luconia Shoals, part of the exclusive economic zone of Malaysia, off the coast of Sarawak, that China has now laid claim to. He officially left the party to curate the Penang Comic Art and Manga Museum, now known as the Asia Comic Culture Museum, that produced the controversial pro-China comic. Hew was also appointed the chief executive officer of the Malaysia-China Business Council headed by DAP chairman Tan Kok Wai.

The comic, Belt and Road Initiative for Win-Winism, promotes Maylasia and China's Belt and Road Initiative, an prigramme of increased economic ties between Malaysia and neighbouring China, and released to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Malaysia, has been dubbed communist propaganda.

PAS information chief Kamaruzaman Mohamad has urged police to take stern action against those behind the curation of the comic, that it contains untrue elements that are seen as attempts to distort the country's history on how it achieved independence. "This comic book looks like an attempt to confuse and dismiss original historical records of Tanah Melayu, Malay and others' (Malaysians) rights…. The comic book has also painted a picture which portrayed Malays as cowards," and that they portray Kuomintang of China, the Reds and Communists as people who fought for the nation's independence. "This is not right. Many of our army men died and many were injured in the process of defending the country. While PPBM (Malaysian United Indigenous Party) Youth leader Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman stated that Hew "is a Super Stupid Superman" and calling him racist.

Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had stated that "at the moment, it is not for us to promote China's ideas and ideologies but to find out how we can benefit from them. As much as we didn't like Western influence in our strategies and schools, we don't want other countries to have undue influence on our young people." Photographs have now emerged of Dr Mahathir presenting the comic to China President Xi Jinping during a visit last year. But now, the Prime Minister's Office has issued a statement disavowing the comic and its contents and the Education Ministry has said the distribution of the comic to schools was unapproved while the Home Ministry has also said it will investigate. And while leaders of DAP have sought to distance themselves from Hew, a number of the party's prominent members and lawmakers have spoken up in his defence, including 43 grassroots DAP leaders and sponsored by DAP national youth secretary Eric Teh and DAP Selangor deputy youth leader Koo Jeng Teng.

The comic, narrated by two cartoon cats, Aisha and Komie, is drawn by Malay cartoonist Chong Po Ling, going by the name of Tomato, whose previous works were featured in the Astro AEC Chinese-language channel. It features a chapter, explaining China's "Chinese Dream" based on the republic's four pillars namely; a socialist state, an ancient Oriental civilisation, a major developing country and a rising emerging nation, and concluded that the BRI is the "concrete realisation" of the said dream.

The comic explains China-led sea voyage histories to foster diplomatic and business ties, notably via a Chinese court eunuch, Zheng He, or Cheng Ho, and depicts China as an ancient superpower that did not resort to any colonisation, rather strove to promote peace and stability. And has Chinese president Xi Jinping explaining the basis behind how China cannot achieve development in isolation from the world and vice versa, with Xi as an advocate of peace for a "win-win scenario rather than zero-sum", and with China's aim to help its neighbours via its shared prosperity vision, so successful for China, as opposed to Donald Trump's USA as a selfish nation with 'America first' policies.

It also shows the European Recovery Programme (ERP) from the USA after the second world war as one planned to further American interests, with only selected capitalist nations in Western Europe receiving monetary aid to rebuild after World War II, while communist nations in Eastern Europe received nothing. BRI is depicted as the opposite, one which promotes inclusiveness.

It also shows former Mala prime minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein's efforts to forge diplomatic ties with China and current Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's stance not to be overinfluenced by Western ideas, while ridiculing former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, over allegations regarding the $600 million discovered to be in his personal bank account, portrayed as plotting to buy votes, but taking advantage of China's BRI investment, by announcing infrastructure projects in the country. While his second wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, is portrayed as someone with extravagant tastes.

But the biggest point of contention will be the depiction of radical" Malay Muslim youth having a negative impression of China, due to its policy in Xinjiang, that "Uigur, a minority nationality living in Xinjiang, some of whom are part of the separatist movement and threatened the national unity and social harmony, were banned by the Chinese government," defending China's segregation of the Uighurs, who are mostly Muslims.

Last year, Malaysia released eleven Uighur Muslims who entered the country after escaping from a Thai prison, from detention. Disregarding China's handover request, the group was deported to Turkey. This remains a contentious issue in the country.

Published a few years ago, the comic gained new attention after copies were sent by the publishers to Malay schools, before schools were instructed by the Education Ministry to not distribute them further. And DAP executives have spoken out against the more controversial aspects of the comic book since.

PAS' Kuala Nerus MP Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali stated that "I am of the opinion that not only should the author Hew and illustrator Chong Po Ling have their statements recorded (by the authorities), but also Lim who, as the DAP secretary-general, wrote the comic's foreword." Khairuddin claims the comic could cause feelings of enmity and undermine harmony and unity under Section 298A(1) of the Penal Code. He has called on the Home Ministry to ban the comic, and for the police to also investigate those who have come to Hew's defence.

Lee has stated in response that "The comic book's contents are the personal views of the author working under an Asia Comic Culture Museum initiative. Whether the views are right or wrong depends on the reader's interpretation. However, the contents do not reflect the stand of DAP or its Socialist Youth" and that the DAP supports freedom of expression so long as its practice does not violate the law or infringe on the rights of others.

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