THE visit by the lecturers and students from the Naval University of Engineering China to Chung Ling Private High School in Air Itam adhered to protocol and should not be politicised, state Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai emphasised.
Wong clarified that the state government was not the organiser of the cultural exchange.
“The event was organised by the Consulate General of China in Penang, and the state was merely an invited guest, along with others.
“The entire arrangement was mediated by the Consulate General, and the state had no involvement in its organisation,” he told reporters at the sidelines of an event in George Town today.
Chinese naval ships Qi Jiguang and JingGangShan docked in Penang last Saturday as part of a visit aimed at enhancing ties between the naval forces of China and Malaysia.
The ships docked in Penang port for three days before departing for Bangladesh.
Addressing claims that the students at the school were flagging China’s flags, Wong noted the school has a total enrolment of 1,900 students, with more than 30 of them being Chinese citizens.
“There was also a group photograph of the students waving the Jalur Gemilang,” he added, expressing his hope the issue would not be prolonged further.
Wong further highlighted that the JingGangShan ship was involved in the search and rescue (SAR) mission following the MH70 flight disaster.
“We have to take things positively, as the ship was involved in the SAR effort for 62 days in the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean, which covered 31,000km,” he said.
He pointed out that a US naval ship crew had even visited a school in Sabah in 2019.
Also present at the sidelines of the media conference were state Social Development, Welfare and Non-Religious Committee chairman Lim Siew Khim and Pengkalan Kota assemblyman Wong Yuee Harng.
Story by Edmund Lee