Tan Lian Hoe: Crime statistics should be viewed honestly and professionally without deliberate inclusion of personal narration or cover-up to social problems
Press statement by
Gerakan Wanita Chief
Dato’ Tan Lian Hoe
20 March 2014
Gerakan Wanita chief Dato’ Tan Lian Hoe criticized Deputy Home Minister Datuk Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar for claiming that non-Malays are more inclined to accept statutory rape and are thus less inclined to lodge police reports compared to Malays while speaking in Parliament on Tuesday. She was utterly offended over the insensitive claim and demanded unreserved apology from the deputy minister over his gaffe.
Tan maintained that all offences including statutory rape should not be viewed through a racial lens. She stressed that politicians must present and interpret the crime statistics in an honest and professional way without deliberate inclusion of personal narration or cover-up to social problems of the day.
“Politicians are not sociologists, I find the presence of social stigma in the statement distasteful and hugely unbecoming for a parliamentarian and deputy minister. It is an offense to all Malaysians particularly to the fairer sex who still in a fight to stop all types of sexual assault, domestic violence and gender discrimination. We must have ample understanding of the situation and comment with discretion,” said Tan.
