KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21 — DAP and its Youth wing were completely uninvolved in a propaganda comic book that promoted China’s Belt-Road Initiative and was produced by ex-member Hew Kuan Yew, said Howard Lee.

The DAP Socialist Youth chief said the party and his movement were also not responsible for placing the books in the libraries of local vernacular schools.

"The comic book’s contents are the personal views of the author working under a 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,” Lee said in a statement.

Lee added, however, that his party supported freedom of expression so long as its practise does not violate the law or infringe on the rights of others.

The pro-China propaganda in the comics are troublesome for DAP that continues to be accused of supporting communism. China is superficially communist.

Hew, also known as Superman Hew, had been a prominent member of DAP who officially resigned from the party in 2016 after his controversial remarks were associated with it.

He left ostensibly to curate the Penang Comic Art and Manga Museum, now known as the Asia Comic Culture Museum that produced the controversial pro-China comic.

Despite being a former member, Hew has remained prominent in the party’s affairs and is frequently featured in its election campaigning.

After Pakatan Harapan won the general election last year, Hew was also appointed the chief executive officer of the Malaysia-China Business Council that is headed by DAP chairman Tan Kok Wai.