MCA hopes Deputy Home Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar will reassess his statement linking race to statutory rape statistics, but said it will not insist on an apology from him.

Secretary-general Ong Ka Chuan said it was improper and inaccurate for Junaidi to say that 80 percent of such rape reports have come from Malays because non-Malays under-report such cases.

Wan Junaidi is free to give his views, Ong told reporters at the Parliament lobby today, when asked to comment.

The DAP’s Kuching MP Chong Chieng Jen had earlier told Wan Junaidi in the Dewan Rakyat to retract his "insulting" remark and apologise to all non-Malays.

"We are adults, we are MPs. We are saying (that) maybe (Wan) Junaidi has his own views. As far as I am concerned you can't ask people to retract," said Ong.

Asked whether the government should apologise instead, since Wan Junaidi represents the Home Ministry, Ong suggested there are other ways to look at the statistics.

Noting that all races have good and bad habits, he said it is not right to link any crime to any race.

He noted that the complainant’s social background - in terms of geographical location and education level - may provide a better explanation as to why statutory rape is or is not reported.

He encouraged the police to see all rape complainants as "Malaysians who need help", without taking away the seriousness of the issue.

Wan Junaidi told  Parliament yesterday that the police received 1,424 statutory rape reports last year - 1,147 from Malays, 62 from Chinese, 32 from Indians and 183 from the other races.

More reports were received from Malays because they have a strong stand against statutory rape compared with non-Malays, Wan Junaidi said, triggering outrage in some quarters.

'Speak up, Mei Fun'

Three Selangor PKR assemblypersons have urged the BN's Kajang candidate Chew Mei Fun to speak out, as Wan Junaidi's statement is both racist and insensitive to women.
 
"Chew says she will defend women's rights, so she should stand up against Wan Junaidi's statement," said Rawang assemblyperson Gan Pei Nei.
 
"This is not the first time a BN minister has made an insensitive statement in Parliament. It has been formally recorded. Government agencies can follow this as the government's stand."
 
PKR's Machang Bubok assemblyperson Lee Khai Loon and Sepetang assemblyperson Chua Yee Ling also urged Wan Junaidi to retract his statement and apologise.