‘We’re not going to waste time with Pakatan’
PSM to concentrate on building itself, while keeping the option to negotiate with Pakatan open.
K Pragalath, FMT
Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) have decided to concentrate on building the left movement to oppose neo-liberals and build their party instead of focusing their energy on its relations with Pakatan Rakyat.
“We are not going to waste time with Pakatan. The ball is in their court,” said PSM secretary general S Arutchelvan when PSM was discussing a resolution on Pakatan Rakyat late last night.
“We will tell them our stand if and when they call us for negotiations later this week,” Arutchelvan added on the second day of PSM’s 15th national congress held in Tanah Rata.
He added that the challenge for PSM was to put their foot down to ensure that Pakatan worked in the interest of the people.
“In the last two years, we did not oppose when Pakatan did not perform well and became lazy,” he said.
He also reminded the delegates that it was the members’ responsibility to strengthen PSM.
“Pakatan would not strengthen us,” said Arutchelvan.
Sungai Siput MP Dr D Michael Jeyakumar also concurred with Arutchelvan’s views and emphasized that PSM’s relations with Pakatan was tactical in nature, without giving away the left movement.
“Handling Pakatan is a tactical move and building a third force is a principled move.
“Our immediate concern is bringing down BN. On the long run, we may have differences in approaching system,” he said.
A total of 68 delegates who were present agreed to the motion of building the party and the third force. The 15th annual congress was attended by a total 77 delegates with voting rights.
To contest in more seats
An interesting motion that was also passed was the resolution to contest in more than the present four seats that the party has been contesting.
“We are open to contest in more seats in the future without compromising our stand which is to spread socialism,” Arutchelvan announced.
The seats that they would contest in the future were not mentioned.
