Pageant organiser Miss Universe Malaysia condemns controversial remarks by former winner over US protests
KUALA LUMPUR, June 1 — Miss Universe Malaysia Organisation (MUMO) has expressed shock over controversial remarks of its former title holder Samantha Katie James on the Black Lives Matter protests in the US.
In a brief statement posted on their official Instagram, MUMO called James’ remarks inappropriate, offensive, unacceptable and hurtful.
The response came shortly after the 25-year-old Miss Universe Malaysia 2017 winner came under fire on social media after claiming that the reactions shown by US protestors were the proof that the “whites [have] won”.
A post shared by Miss Universe Malaysia Org. (@missuniversemalaysia) on
Jun 1, 2020 at 5:12am PDT
MUMO, however, distanced itself from the controversial remarks by stating that the views expressed by James on social media are her own personal views and are neither the view nor position of the organisation.
“Samantha Katie James is not contracted to MUMO and has not represented the organisation since June 2018,” reads the statement.
“MUMO stands for a non-racial society and strongly condemns all acts of racism and prejudice anywhere in the world.”
James, who is of Malaysian Chinese-Brazilian heritage, came under heavy criticism online after she posted a series of controversial remarks telling African Americans to “take it as a challenge” and also claimed that they “chose to be born as coloured (people) in America.”
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