Loke: Xi Jinping souvenir was personal, not govt gift
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said that the souvenir was made in Malaysia, with the engraving crafted by Royal Selangor.
"The souvenir was a personal gift, and I did not say that it was a gift from the government," he said after the Transport Ministry's Monthly Assembly and Raikan Kasih Madani 2025 event at his ministry today.
He was responding to a question from the media regarding the souvenir, which sparked debate on social media following claims that it had been presented "through the back door" without official protocol.
A short video clip of the incident went viral and drew widespread attention after being uploaded by Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching on her Facebook page.
In her post, she wrote: "Anthony Loke, on behalf of DAP, presents a commemorative plaque to the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)."
The Royal Selangor plaque, featuring an engraved dragon motif, was presented to Xi on April 17 prior to his departure for Cambodia, following a three-day visit to Malaysia as part of his Southeast Asia tour.
Recently, Loke, who is also Seremban member of parliament, issued a clarification via Facebook, saying that the souvenir was presented near the back entrance for security reasons.
Commenting on the dragon motif, he said that the plaque was "100 per cent made in Malaysia" and that the dragon symbolises strength, wisdom, and friendship in Chinese culture.
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