DAP leaders are exchanging friendly fire over the controversial “Belt and Road Initiative for Win Winism” comic by former member Hew Kuan Yau.

DAP Youth secretary-general Teh Hoong Kiet (above, right), in a statement today, chastised Johor party committee member Mahdzir Ibrahim (above, left), who had called on the DAP-led Penang government to reconsider any form of assistance provided to the Asia Comic Cultural Museum (ACCM), which published Hew's comic.

Teh said Mahdzir's call was bizarre, as ACCM was a "professional, open, and diverse" comic museum which has exhibits in four different languages.

"Mahdzir's motive to continuously attack ACCM and Hew is questionable. He seems like an Umno cybertrooper who dancing to Najib's tune," he said.

Teh added that even if Mahdzir disagrees with Hew, he should not kick the former DAP member when he is down.

Earlier, Mahdzir called for the cut of funding to ACCM as a way for DAP to distance itself from the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) comic.

“I strongly suggest that the Penang state government and DAP Central Executive Committee reconsider any form of assistance provided to the ACCM,” said Mahdzir in a statement today.

He said the move was necessary as the party had never given any mandate to Hew, who is the ACCM curator, to publish the comic.

“Therefore, there is a need for severe action to be taken against the museum by revoking any assistance that it currently receives, be it in the form of rental subsidy and its operating permit," said Mahdzir, a DAP Malay leader at the local level who does not hold any position in the state government.

Penang Gerakan chairperson Oh Tong Keong (below) also called on the party to review its funding of the ACCM.

Oh cited other privately-owned museums in Penang, such as the Glass Museum, Camera Museum, Ghost Museum, Art Museum, Gold Museum, Upside Down Museum, Chinese Cultural Museum, etc, that have sprung up.

“Is the Penang Harapan state government or DAP willing to pay rental for these more than 30 museums? They are also promoting tourism. Should the state government also give them the same treatment as Hew and ACCM?” he asked.

Yesterday, Mahdzir had spoken out against the distribution of the BRI comic in schools, urging the party to similarly take a strong stand against further links to such negative elements.

He said the party was already linked to the controversial comic, and the public's perception was strengthened by a show of support from 43 grassroots members for Hew.

Today, he repeated his call for the central committee to come up with a clear and firm stand on this matter.

Citing the current uncertain political atmosphere, Mahdzir said that as a coalition partner in Harapan, DAP must remain steadfast in ensuring the national agenda remains the priority.

“Failing to do so will not only tarnish DAP and Harapan’s image, it will also send out a wrong message regarding our stand on national unity. DAP is duty-bound to empower and help Harapan’s cause, not these group of individuals as it will lead to our downfall,” he said.