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members of Sugar in the community wales has used a racial slur improve uk The only member of the Welsh Parliament was “very disturbing”.
Laura Anne Jones was suspended from the Senedd for two weeks for using offensive language WhatsApp Group in August 2023.
Ms. Jones, who seceded from conservative Earlier this year, a group discussion about Chinese-owned apps made this comment about Chinese people tiktok In August 2023. He wrote: “no spy for me,
Ms Jones has issued an apology for the comments and has been banned from the Senedd Chamber for 14 days, which has been welcomed by the Chinese in Wales Association (CIWA).
However, the group said the wording used by Ms Jones carried “extremely hurtful and racist connotations” and that it was “extremely disappointing to hear such language from an elected representative”.
Shirley Au-Young, founder and CEO of the Chinese in Wales Association (CIWA), told the BBC that the abuse was “deeply disturbing”.
He said, “The term is sometimes used by people without fully understanding its impact, but public figures should be especially mindful of the harm such language can cause.”
“We do not want to live in a society where racially offensive language is normalized or dismissed.”
Ms Au-Young said: “Many ethnic Chinese people born in Wales have shared that their Welsh identity can sometimes be questioned because of how they look”.
“People look at their faces and think they are immigrants. They think they are Welsh but other people question and it hurts them a lot.
“We don’t use this word in our language. It exists in English, it just doesn’t have a direct translation. The word has historically been used in negative and racist contexts, and its impact is still deeply felt.”
Fu Seng, head of advocacy at CIWA, told the BBC: “By using that word you are telling the public that it is OK to use that word to talk about the Chinese community.
“It’s hard to express the disappointment we feel, but this is outrageous.”
Independent Ms. Jones has contacted and reform uk For further comment. He said he “fully accepted” the findings of Parliament’s standards committee when he was suspended last month.
“As far as the language that I regretfully used in private WhatsApp messages is concerned, I would like to take this opportunity to once again apologize for that in this chamber,” she said. He said he and his staff had completed Senedd respect and conduct training.
“I never intended to cause any offense and I would never intend to do so. It is extremely regrettable that the message and other messages in which I privately expressed my disappointment, for which I have apologized and do so again, were leaked to the press and made public, where they were likely to be misinterpreted and cause someone unnecessary hurt.”
The committee also looked into allegations that Ms Jones had fraudulently made false expense claims, but found “no breach of the code of conduct” in that regard.