PSM, PKR at loggerheads in Sg Siput
The two parties are squabbling over the use of PSM logo for the coming general election.
B Nanatha Kumar, FMT
A three-cornered fight is likely for the Sungai Siput parliamentary seat at the upcoming general election.
This is because Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM), which contested the seat at the 2008 general election under the PKR banner, wants to use its own logo to fight for the seat – much to the dismay of PKR.
This infighting between PSM and PKR has brightened MIC’s chances of winning back the seat, which it lost at the 2008 general election.
A PKR insider told FMT that the party could field its own candidate at the next general election since PSM had rejected several attempts by PKR to ensure that its logo is used by PSM candidates at the polls.
“It looks like PSM is not keen on contesting under the PKR banner. Instead, it wants to use its own logo at the next election. We are still having discussions with PSM on the matter. If it insists, then we have no choice but to nominate our own candidate.
“PKR fears that the PSM symbol will drive away Malay votes due to its leftist significance,” said the source.
PSM is a socialist political party established in 1998. At the 2008 polls, the party contested one parliamentary and three state assembly seats.
Since the party has yet to receive recognition from the Register of Society (ROS), its three candidates contested under the PKR banner while in one state seat (Jelapang, Perak), it contested as an independent.
Jackpot for BN
The party won the Sungai Siput parliamentary seat when its candidate Dr Micheal Jayakumar defeated former MIC president S Samy Vellu. PSM president Dr Nasir Hashim won the Kota Damansara state seat in Selangor.
