The action taken by the Education Ministry in not approving the distribution of the comic book entitled "Belt and Road Initiative for Win Winism" to educational institutions including schools, was based on law, said its minister Maszlee Malik today.

"We acted on the advice of the Home Affairs Ministry," he said, explaining that this was because such printed matter came under the purview of the ministry, in accordance with relevant legislation.

Therefore, Maszlee said: "The step taken was based on the rule of law".

He told reporters this after officiating the "Jom Sekolah 2020" programme organised by Yayasan Harapan Pontian at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Teluk Kerang in Pontian.

The minister was commenting on the opposition voiced yesterday by 43 grassroots leaders including several DAP state assemblypersons, in reference to the distribution ban.

On Oct 17, the Education Ministry issued a statement stressing that it had not approved the distribution of the publication.

In his Facebook posting one day earlier, former prime minister Najib Tun Razak had alleged that a museum funded by the Penang government was spreading propaganda in secondary schools through the comic book.