PAS leader, not gov't, who is shallow - PSM

PSM has accused PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man of wading in shallow waters with regard to the participation of pro-LGBT groups in the Women's March earlier this year.

Deputy chairperson S Arutchelvan was responding to Tuan Ibrahim dismissing the government's response on the matter as “shallow and disappointing.”

On the contrary, the PSM leader described de facto Deputy Law Minister Mohamed Hanipa Maidin's parliamentary reply on the matter as “correct and spot on.”

“Freedom of assembly is a fundamental law guaranteed by Article 10 of the Federal Constitution. Nobody can stop any citizen from exercising their right to this freedom.

“PSM urges Tuan Ibrahim not to look at these issues from a shallow perspective,” he added in a statement this afternoon.

Read more: LGBT in Women's March: PAS raps gov't for 'right to assembly' reply

Arutchelvan said the police could have taken action against the participants if laws were broken.

“But you cannot use laws to segregate certain groups of people and criminalise everything we are not comfortable with. We cannot criminalise or stereotype people as we wish.

“We need to be more inclusive in differences in our society as long as it does not violate the individual rights of another,” he added.

Arutchelvan pointed out that PSM, in its recent national congress, also passed a resolution asking the government to take a clear stand to protect the LGBTIQ community against hate, violence and discrimination.

In his parliamentary reply on Wednesday, Hanipa said the Women's March did not violate Article 10 of the Federal Constitution, which guarantees the right to peaceful assembly.

However, Tuan Ibrahim wanted the deputy minister to retract his statement.

"I urge the deputy minister's answer to be withdrawn as it contradicts stipulations in the law and statements from the police.

"Such an answer is seen as not addressing the real issue and could confuse the public," said the PAS leader.

KINIGUIDE

A guide to what happened at Women’s March