BN Kajang candidate Chew Mei Fun said it is "wrong" for Deputy Home Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar to say that non-Malays are not as "sensitive" to statutory rape.

 

"I feel this is a wrong statement which has not gone through thorough research.

 

"Such statements should not be made as it causes anger among other races as all races, be it Malay, Chinese and or Indian, cannot accept statutory rape," she told reporters.

 

She, however, did not say yes or no when asked if Wan Junaidi ( left ) should retract his statement and apologise.

 

Earlier, PKR elected representatives Gan Pei Nei, Lee Khai Loon and Chua Yee Ling called on Chew to speak out on the issue as the BN candidate has campaigned on the platform of women's rights.

 

The trio also wanted Wan Junaidi retract the statement and make a public apology.

 

Chua said instead of making racial conjectures based on statistics, Wan Junaidi should study why out of the 3000 cases reported from 2009 to date, only 162 have led to a conviction.

 

"We should also look into the reporting process which is now traumatising to victims. It shouldn't be looked at in a racial manner," Lee said.

 

Wan Junaidi in replying to a question in Parliament yesterday said that there are higher cases of statutory rape reported among Malays as the community is more "sensitive" on the matter, prompted police reports to be lodged.

 

Meanwhile, Chew said she believes she "stands a chance" of winning the Mar 23 Kajang by-election.

 

Asked if the odds have improved since the Mar 11 polling day, she said: "Of course, when we put in effort, the situation will improve."

 

She is up against PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail. PKR won the seat in 2013 with a majority of close to 7,000.