In New Zealand, Malaysian community ‘embarrassed’ by Putrajaya’s handling of sex storm

http://ift.tt/1lMAQkt KUALA LUMPUR, July 1 — Malaysia’s delay in admitting one of its diplomats was implicated on sexual assault charges in New Zealand dating back to May has caused red faces for the expatriate community there. Selva Ramasari, a spokesman for the New Zealand Malaysian Society, said Putrajaya’s response to the sex storm added to the negative perception of the Southeast Asian country, coming on the heels of the MH370 aviation disaster, which saw two Kiwis among the 239 people on board the missing plane. “It’s quite embarrassing for the community because after the MH370 saga we constantly seem to be someone who can’t handle the situation, it’s critical to the image of the nation and I don’t think this is going to help the situation,” he was quoted saying today by New Zealand media agency Dominion Post on the stuff.co.nz news website. The Malaysian government’s slow response in the initial days following the mysterious disappearance of the Malaysia Airlines plane on March 8 drew global criticism. Muhammad Rizalman Ismail, a military attache to the Malaysian High Commission in Wellington, faces sexual assault charges against a 21-year-old woman in New Zealand but escaped court action after he invoked his diplomatic immunity. The envoy has since been recalled home to Malaysia. However, Selva said Muhammad Rizalman should not be allowed to continue staying in Malaysia but should return to New Zealand to face trial, insisting that diplomatic immunity should not be used to avoid criminal charges. “I’m quite disappointed with the approach. I believe the immunity gained by the defendant is not meant to be for this sort of personal crime, it’s more for political or other reasons why we have the immunity. “When the news breaks out it’s going to be very difficult for the Malaysian community, especially with Muslims now being in the month of Ramadan, it’s bad timing,” Selva was quoted saying.



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