In a statement, Sangetha said that cultural and systemic barriers continued to hinder the participation and leadership of women.

“In a country like Malaysia, where deeply entrenched societal norms still place disproportionate burdens on women, expecting equal participation without structural support is not only unrealistic but also dismissive of the challenges that women continue to face.

“If we truly want more women in decision-making positions, we must address the real barriers and ensure that women have the necessary support to lead – not throw them into the deep end and expect them to swim,” she said.

She said women’s wings played a crucial role in providing women with a structured, supportive environment to learn, adapt, and develop their leadership skills before stepping into national politics.

“They serve as an essential stepping stone, equipping women with the confidence, networks, and experience necessary to navigate the male-dominated political landscape.

“The idea that women can or should immediately enter central party leadership without these preparatory platforms ignores the realities of gendered political participation,” she said.

Sangetha said that if the women’s wings in some parties were ineffective, the solution was to reform and empower them, not to abolish them.

“We should be strengthening these platforms, ensuring that they serve as genuine pathways for women to rise to the highest levels of leadership,” she said.

At a public forum yesterday, Ambiga said the existence of a separate wing for women reinforced male dominance in the party leadership.

She argued that having women’s wings reinforced gender segregation and prevented women from competing on equal footing with men in politics.