PARTI Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) wants Sungai Pinang constituents to make history: ensure its candidate for the state seat wins so that the party can be the third voice in the Penang legislative assembly.

PSM’s sole candidate in the state, Teh Yee Cheu, 60, is a former government backbencher from DAP, who represented Tanjung Bungah in the last two terms.

The former DAP loyalist became sidelined due to his unrelenting fight to limit the chief minister’s term, as well as over environmental issues.

“If Sungai Pinang voters put Teh back into the state legislative assembly, they will be making history. It will send a very strong message to the government, that it cannot take voters’ support for granted, especially support from people in the bottom 40%,” said PSM central committee member Choo Chon Kai.

“It also means that the people will not simply vote because they are made to feel indebted to the government.”

Teh, who quit DAP earlier this month after the dissolution of Parliament, said being part of a large party or the state government limited his ability to raise and fight for certain issues that lacked support from the party leadership and members.

“But as a non-government backbencher, you can be the third voice, raising issues based on facts, and perform your duty as an assemblyman without fear or favour. You are not controlled by a big (coalition) like Pakatan Harapan.

“I realise that I face an uphill battle going up against the incumbent (DAP’s Lim Siew Khim), who will be a government backbencher if she is re-elected. I may even lose my deposit.

“While I am aware of the possibility of losing badly, I still want to send a message to the people, that the third voice can do what a government backbencher and an opposition backbencher (from Barisan Nasional) may not be able to do,” he told reporters at PSM’s office this morning.

Earlier, he unveiled his manifesto, pledging, among others, to renew the fight to bring back local government elections, set up a People’s Consultative Council in every locality to encourage more people to take part in the political process and establish a non-profit People’s Housing Board.

“I cannot make promises to implement policies, as I won’t be in the government. But if the people put me in the state assembly, PSM can bring up these proposals to the state. We can work together for the people of Sungai Pinang,” said Teh, who grew up in the neighbouring Datuk Keramat state seat and was a voter in Jelutong until today.

Apart from Teh and Lim, who won Sungai Pinang, located in the Jelutong parliamentary seat, by 4,707 votes in 2013, there are four other candidates – from BN, PAS, the Malaysian United Party and an independent – gunning for the 26,917-voter seat, which comprises 51.5% Chinese, 34% Malays and 13.8% Indians. – April 29, 2018.