Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mujahid Yusof Rawa has denied social activist Marina Mahathir's criticism that he had tried to distract from demands made at the Women's March by focusing on the presence of LGBT participants.

"I support the Women's March being used as a platform to voice women's issues, such as the oppression of the group, minimum wage and others, but not LGBT struggles, that are contrary to our norms.

"Therefore, next time, let women lead the march and do not allow other struggles that we do not recognise," he was quoted as saying by Bernama.

The presence of LGBT participants at the Women's March earlier this month had sparked a backlash from both sides of the political divide, with Mujahid terming their presence an "abuse of democratic space."

The following day, Marina tweeted that Mujahid was trying to distract from the march's key demands – an end to violence based on gender and sexual orientation; a ban on child marriages; ensuring women's rights over their own bodies and lives; an RM1,800 minimum wage; and the destruction of the patriarchy.

"I'm really beginning to believe that men really believe that women’s issues are trivial, and that’s why they will find any excuse to not respond to demands to address anything that truly affects women. It’s called misogyny.

“And to think we women’s groups campaigned and voted for you," she said on Twitter.