Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein has asked critics not to politicise the Chinese envoy's donation to SJKCs in his constituency, saying that he welcomed the donation as long as there were no strings attached.

Hishammuddin was responding to critics over Chinese ambassador Huang Huikang's donation of RM40,000 to eight Chinese primary schools (SRJK Cina) in his constituency of Sembrong last Sunday.

One of the critics, DAP Kulai MP Teo Nie Ching, had said the donation showed that the foreign envoy knew the predicament of Chinese schools better than “our minister”.

However, Hishammuddin said, as Sembrong MP, he felt grateful to anyone willing to contribute to Malaysian schools, be it Chinese, Tamil, national, or religious schools.

He never asked Huang to make donations, nor did he know Huang was going to do so, he told reporters in Kuala Lumpur today.

He further pointed out that the donation could help children and people who were being affected by the economy.

"Anything that can help our school system, who would say no to it...provided it doesn't affect our national interests, and there are no strings attached.”

He also said Teo criticised him only because the donation did not go to her constituency.

"Maybe the donation did not go to Kulai," he quipped.

Applause and smiles

According to Chinese dailies, Huang was invited by Hishammuddin to attend a local Chinese New Year open house in Paloh, a small town in Johor last Sunday.

Huang handed over the cheque for the schools to Paloh MCA assemblyperson Teoh Yap Kun, witnessed by Hishammuddin and MCA deputy chief Wee Ka Siong. Both welcomed the donation with applause and smiles.

News of the donation, however, drew mixed responses. For political analyst Tang Ah Chai, the envoy's high-profile donation was a friendly gesture to "wow" the Chinese community and perhaps even a "suggestion" to the Malaysian government to follow suit .

On the other hand, Deputy Education Minister and MCA Youth chief Chong Sin Woon urged critics not to be "too negative", pointing out that although China is prosperous, yet many Malaysians have made donations to it for educational purposes.