Demonstrators take part in a march in conjunction with International Women's Day in Kuala Lumpur March 9, 2018. ― Picture by Shafwan Zaidon

KUALA LUMPUR, March 12 ― The 14th general election result showed Malaysians wanted to move on from the repressive policies of Barisan Nasional, Parti Sosialis Malaysia’s (PSM) women’s desk said today.

They were commenting on criticism from Pakatan Harapan leaders such as Datuk Seri Mujahid Yusof Rawa over expressed support for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community at Saturday’s International Women’s Day march.

“The Pakatan Harapan government must be reminded of the reason for Malaysians’ from all backgrounds, including those subjected to the harassment now, to have rallied together in voting for a New Malaysia ― an opportunity to progress and not to regress backwards,” they said in a statement.

The statement was co-signed by PSM’s Nurhayyu Zainal, Chong Yee Shan and Nivetha Sri Shanker.

Rejecting the minister’s criticism of the LGBT element as “abuse of democracy”, they said it was Mujahid who was guilty of the same.

They also condemned other detractors of the events such as BN politicians and groups, some of whom have lodged police reports against the event’s organisers.

During the march, organisers made five demands of the government.

These were: an end of violence based on gender and sexual orientation; child marriages; the protection of the rights and freedom of women to make choices over their own body and lives; a minimum wage of RM1,800; and the destruction of patriarchy.