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Media Statement
by Ng Wei Aik
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(Petaling Jaya, Saturday) : I received a phone call of Dr Sheela Moorthy from New York, United States two days ago. She told me that she felt angry with racist remarks of the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Jamaludin Jarjis during his working visit to U.S. recently. 

She told me that her younger sister, Sheena Moorthy who being the third year Biotech student in California Polytechnic State University (CALPOLY) had attended a gathering with the Minister on 30 April 2007 6.30 p.m., held in Belacan Grill Malaysian Restaurant, Redondo Beach, California. 

The purpose of the gathering is to meet some of the Malaysian students studying in California especially those from the TPM Academy twinning programme. There were 100 people including two Indian students turned up for the gathering. 

During the 3 ½ hour session, Jamaluddin Jarjis passed a few remarks on Sheena Moorthy. I take excerpts from what has been transpired during the gathering from Sheena’s own words: 

“Incident 1 - Each student had to briefly introduce themselves. When it came to my turn, while speaking he interrupted me and asked if I knew Samy Velu, because he knows him. I don’t see any relevance in that and he mentioned it a few times for no apparent reason. 

“Incident 2 - He gave a speech regarding how agriculture started in Malaysia. He mentioned how the British invested in Malaysia and made farmers work. Due to the lack of work force, “buruh India” was brought in. While mentioning this, he looked at me saying that’s how we get Indians in Malaysia. 

“Incident 3 - After saying he is going to get MARA to help the Bumiputra students, he looked at me and asked “How many Indians are here?, I don’t have and don’t keep track of number of Indian students here so I mentioned that “In this room, there are two (pointing to my another Malaysian Indian friend, who is fair skinned) and J.Jarjis looked at him and asked “Oh. You are an Indian”, which means you are an upper class Indian and she is the lower class one (pointing at me).  He went on to say that, “Oh, I am not going to help upper class Indians, I only help to lower class ones. They are the ones that need it’. I left the room feeling very insulted. 

“Basically he judged me based on my skin colour.” 

As a minister who representing all fellow Malaysians, Jamaludin Jarjis should not make any derogatory remark over certain ethnic group, no matter he is abroad or returning to home country. He has no right to insult others even if no Indian student attending the gathering. 

Over the years, the government promotes national unity. But, this is not the case with our Minister. We should not compromise on his arrogant attitude in any way. He should be reprimanded by all Malaysians regardless of the colour or creed they may be. 

As what I understand, Sheela Moorthy has made the complaint to the Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and other related agencies, including the Foreign Ministry, the Ambassador of Malaysia to U.S., Consulate General of Malaysia in U.S. and the Commission of Human Rights of U.S. Sheena is currently trying to gather the signatures of all students there. 

DAP urges the Prime Minister and all Cabinet Ministers to look into the complaint seriously and demand Jamaludin Jarjis to apologize publicly to all fellow Indians over his racist insult abroad.

(5/5/2007)