Superman Hew resigns as MCBC chief over comic book saga

PETALING JAYA: Former DAP member Hew Kuan Yau has quit as the chief executive officer of the Malaysia China Business Council (MCBC) following the furore raised over the politically-laced comic book he produced.

“In order to ensure the smooth operation of MCBC, I have tendered my resignation to MCBC chairman Tan Kok Wai with immediate effect and my decision is final.

“During my tenure as the CEO over the past eight months, I devoted myself to strengthen the economy and trade, promoting people-to-people bond and cultural exchanges between Malaysia and China so as to better connect to the “Belt and Road Initiative”, ” he said in a statement.

“This (resignation) will offer an opportunity for me to think about my life after 50 having left the public sector, ” he added.

He further said there is a need for Malaysians to understand more about the development and changes of the Chinese civilisation and society.

His statement, however, did not address the uproar caused by the selected content in the comic book.

In a separate matter, DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang said the Home Ministry has overstepped its promise to usher in more freedom on the media with the ban on the comic book.

The Iskandar Puteri MP came to the defence of his party’s former member stating that Pakatan Harapan has not acted appropriately in handling the comic book saga.

Lim, in a press statement, said the 49-year-old would never be a communist nor promote communism.

“I have known Hew for over three decades, since the early years as an “angry young man” who was unorthodox and irreverent, to the extent of being extremely crude and vulgar causing great embarrassment all round, to fight for justice and a better Malaysia, and the last thing he would do is to be a communist or to promote communism, ” he said, adding that the ban of the comic book came as a shock to him.

“I do not believe that the Home Ministry had acted rightly in levelling the charges that Hew’s comic book was promoting communism and sympathy for the communist struggle, ” Lim added.

“I call on the Home Ministry officials to review the ban as the Pakatan Government promised to usher in an era of greater openness without undermining national security.”