PSM stays confident heading into polls


Alfian Z.M. Tahir

Parti Sosialis Malaysia's deputy chairperson S. Arutchelvan says the party's were more popular than certain Perikatan Nasional candidates as they have been serving communities in their respective areas for quite some time. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, August 8, 2023.

PARTI Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) is going into the polls this Saturday with renewed hope as voters are generally supportive of the left-leaning party and are aware of its service, said its candidates.

However, there is also some confusion among voters on the party’s political alignment, said the candidates, as voters were asking if the party was aligned to Pakatan Harapan (PH), and why was it contesting against the coalition.

However, the candidates said they were even more popular than certain Perikatan Nasional (PN) candidates as they have been serving communities in their respective areas for quite some time.

Party deputy chairman S. Arutchelvan, who is contesting in Kajang, was in high spirits when he spoke to The Malaysian Insight.

He said his campaign was going well, and PSM was leading PN in the poster war.

He also said many voters knew him as he was the town’s councillor for five years between 2008 and 2013.

“Many people know us in Kajang and we are number two while PH-BN is leading the poster war. PN is trailing behind. We are much stronger than PN.

“Volunteers are an advantage for us as are young voters that give us good feedback. We also have the backing from activists such as Siti Kassim,” said Arutchelvan.

However, he said PSM’s symbolic red flag is causing some confusion among the public as many think they are part of the PH-BN coalition.

“I have to explain that we are not, the only similar thing is that our colour happens to be red and PH is also using red.”

Arutchelvan, who has been an activist for more than 30 years, said PSM initially set its focus on the Chinese community in Sungai Long and in Bandar Mahkota but would enter Malay villages in the coming days.

“We heard from special branch officers that PH and PN candidates are not so popular among the Malays.

“We will try to convince the people and educate them to choose better candidates.

“We are doing well in Kajang. We have a billboard sponsored by an individual, our t-shirts are also sponsored,” said Arutchelvan.

PKR’s Hee Loy Sian won the Kajang seat in the 2018 general election, defeating Zaiton Ahmad of PAS with a 30,755-vote majority. MCA and PRM also fielded candidates in the four-cornerned fight.

PKR has held the seat since 2008.

Parti Sosialis Malaysia's Meru state seat candidate Sivaranjani Manickam (left) says many Indian voters are angry with Pakatan Harapan over its failure to address issues in the constituency. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, August 8, 2023.

Voters unhappy with Pakatan

Meru state seat candidate Sivaranjani Manickam said many Indian voters are angry with PH over its failure to address issues in the area.

Sivaranjani said she was also on the receiving end of the anger as many thought PSM was PH’s partner.

“Voters here, especially in Pekan Kapar where the majority of them are Indians, are very frustrated with PH. They said PH has done nothing for them and never addressed their complaints.

“They think we are part of the coalition and I have to tell them that we are not. We are here to solve their problems but the frustration is there. The mood is not good,”she added.

She said her team has hit the ground to bring in voters.

The reception, according to Sivaranjani, was cordial

“The Malays are responsive and polite despite us being the underdog. We did not encounter any trouble when we went to any mosque or surau,” she added.

Sivaranjani said that she was taking the opportunity to promote PSM and to enlighten the people about her party.

“We tell them who and what we are, what we fight for and that we have a service centre that is open for the public every Saturday.

“During our campaign, we have received many complaints about unsolved drainage that has caused flash floods.

“If we win, we are going to make this a priority and help settle this never-ending problem,” she stressed.

Sivaranjani is contesting for the first time and will go up against PH’s Mariam Abdul Rashid and Hasnizam Adham from Bersatu.

Parti Sosialis Malaysia secretary-general A. Sivarajan says voters were unhappy about the Pakatan Harapan-Barisan Nasional partnership, and branded Perikatan Nasional as dishonest. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, August 8, 2023.

Perikatan not sincere

PSM secretary-general A. Sivarajan, who is contesting in Kota Damansara, shared Sivaranjani’s sentiments.

He said many voters he met had expressed dissatisfaction and anger towards PH.

“We can see people’s anger this time and we had to tell them that we are not PH and we are PSM. At first they thought we were part of PH.

“We tell them that we are PSM and when we mention Dr Nasir’s name, they immediately remembered him.  They know Dr Nasir very well,” said Sivarajan.

Dr Nasir Hashim was PSM’s chairman and was an assemblyman for Kota Damansara in 2008.

Asked about the dissatisfaction on the ground, the activist said voters were unhappy about the PH-BN partnership, and branded Perikatan Nasional as dishonest.

“They said that PH had never solved their problems despite being the state government (in Selangor) for 15 years. Now they are not happy with the partnership.

“PN on the hand is not sincere. They said PN is only around during the election,” he said.

Sivarajan is one of the party founders as well as the pioneer of the Subang PSM division when the party was established in 1998.

The 54-year-old candidate has been serving Kota Damansara since 1998 and was a Shah Alam City Council councillor from 2008 to 2013.

He was also the secretary to Dr Nasir from 2008 to 2013.

Sivarajan also contested in the Kota Damansara state seat in the 2018 14th General Election, garnering only 435 votes.

PSM will be contesting in four seats in this Saturday’s state polls, all in Selangor. The party has also formed an alliance with youth-based Muda. –  August 8, 2023.


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