China has hit back at Malaysian opposition politicians who have criticised its growing presence and investments in the South-east Asian country.

Some critics of the improving ties have accused Prime Minister Najib Razak of selling out Malaysia’s interests.

But the Chinese embassy in Kuala Lumpur, which has not shied away from wading into domestic issues, issued a statement last week to rebut the opposition claims.

The controversy began shortly after Datuk Seri Najib returned from a week-long trip to China in November with RM144 billion (S$46 billion) worth of investment pledges and soft loans from Beijing.

An ebullient Mr Najib declared that the China funds would serve as a boost for the struggling economy, a stand dismissed by his critics who mostly charged that Malaysia could ill-afford such huge loans.

… Dr Johan Saravanamuttu, Adjunct Senior Fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, said: “The opposition was right to raise the issue of overdependence but they need to provide evidence.”

But he added: “Given that Muhyiddin’s statement was over the top, the Chinese could have done better by staying quiet.”