Kuala Lampur, Oct. 29 -- Education Minister Maszlee Malik today defended his deputy Teo Nie Ching whose photograph with a copy of the Belt & Road Initiative For Win-Winism has been held as endorsement of the pro-China propaganda comic book now banned.

Maszlee said photos of Teo with the comic that have since spread online did not mean it was an endorsement, adding that many lawmakers have posed with books without coming under fire.

"First of all, the deputy minister has issued a statement on the photograph on her Facebook page. She has clarified that she was given the comic book and was asked to take a photo with it. This is the same incident with Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

"I don't think this is an isolated incident. Many...