In conjunction with the International Women’s Day, several social groups and activists organised a Women’s March on March 9. During the event, five key demands were voiced out, revolving around the issues of gender discrimination and violence.
However, only one out of the five demands were singled out and criticised, which is the LGBT rights.
It began with a viral video taken during the march, where a group of women were seen carrying rainbow flags, a symbol known to represent the LGBT community, while chanting “hidup LBGT” (long live LGBT).
Consequently, the Women’s March narrative has then been twisted into a different one – the LGBT March.
According to the organisers of the International Women’s Day March, the LGBT rights were included in highlighting issues to protect all women’s rights, no matter their age, status and sexuality.
Consecutively, the main focus of the march which was to empower women has been sidelined by the media and the attackers of the march.
Datuk Seri Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa, Religious Affairs Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, has commented on the issue on his Facebook page, calling it an abuse of democracy.
To address the issue further, PPBM Malaysia supreme council member Wan Saiful Wan Jan has stated that the combination of the LGBT agenda and the noble fight for women’s right is a provocation towards the country’s stability.
In response to both statements, social activist Marina Mahathir has tweeted that both Mujahid and Saiful are just using the LGBT demand as an excuse to not address the other demands chanted during the march. She has further labelled both statements as an act of misogyny; prejudice against women.
The march was also attended by the Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO), Sisters in Islam (SIS) and Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM), demanding banning child marriages and to set a minimum wage of RM 1,800.
Source: Malaysia Indicator