Former Malaysian diplomat Dennis Ignatius said Chinese ambassador to Malaysia, Huang Huikang, “openly endorsed” BN parties and was also seen accompanying BN politicians on their constituency visits.
In response, Huang said he was friendly with politicians from both sides of the divide, not just BN.
“I only visit states and constituencies governed by the National Front (BN)? I visit all 13 states in Malaysia.
“I visited Penang many times, joined the chief minister of Penang to witness the opening of the second bridge. In fact, that was my first official event when I was just posted to Malaysia,” Huang told reporters at Wisma Darulaman here today.
Earlier, Huang had called on Kedah Menteri Besar Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah at his office. The envoy is on a two-day trip to Kedah to witness the official signing of Chinese investments in the state.
Huang said he also visited the PAS-governed state of Kelantan, as well as the BN-governed state of Terrengganu during the flood crisis there three years ago.
He said he was there to officially deliver RMB20 million (RM12.8 million) in humanitarian aid in the form of tents and other essentials for victims of the floods.
“I am a true friend of all Malaysia. Not only part of Malaysia,” Huang said.
In a comment piece in FMT two weeks ago, Ignatius highlighted that Huang had accompanied Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, MCA Deputy President Wee Ka Siong, and MCA assemblyperson Teoh Yap Kun on visits to the Sembrong and Paloh constituencies last year.
Ignatius also said Chinese diplomats were spotted with MCA vice-president Chew Mei Fun in Raub, Pahang.
Ignatius claimed that during these visits, Chinese diplomats routinely took the opportunity to praise the Najib administration, stress the importance of the MCA and drive home the point that the Malaysian Chinese community had a lot to gain from the government’s developing relationship with China.
“The Chinese ambassador has also urged Malaysian Chinese to support the MCA because without the MCA, ‘Malaysian Chinese have no say in the government’,” Ignatius said.
Ignatius was Malaysian High Commissioner to Canada from 2001 to 2008, and Malaysian ambassador to Chile and Argentina prior to that. He has also served in Beijing, London and Washington in the foreign service.