Leftist agenda adds polemic to political debate, says analyst

(fz.com) – As the political stances of Pakatan Rakyat and Barisan Nasional (BN) are not driven by ideology, Malaysians need an alternative view of how policies affect them and to what extent, Boon Kia Meng said.

 

Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM)’s decision to forge ahead with a renewed agenda to cultivate a strong left wing movement is a step in the right direction and will add another dimension to the national political discourse, a political analyst opines.

 

As the political stances of Pakatan Rakyat and Barisan Nasional (BN) are not driven by ideology, Malaysians need an alternative view of how policies affect them and to what extent, Boon Kia Meng said.

 

Therefore, a strong left in Malaysia will add to the polemic on policies that affect the people’s welfare, he added.

 

“The situation now is both coalitions do not have any coherent or consistent left agenda. BN, as a political structure, is undergoing a fundamental crisis and it needs to find a viable political organisation to secure their political hegemony,” said Boon, a philosophy lecturer who is also an award-winning documentary producer. 

 

“From a Marxian point of view, the ruling classes are made up of various fractions of capitalists, senior state bureaucrats and politicians. 

 

“For these groups, they don’t really care which political parties are in power, unless their rent-seeking opportunities are tied specifically to Umno. They will find the most suitable political structure for capital accumulation.

 

“In that sense, these groups would also seek to court Pakatan’s state governments. These business interests would hedge their bets and support any pro-business, political party or coalition,” Boon added.

 

Hence, this is where the left would come in – to serve as a check and balance of the political coalitions, he said.

 

 

Following a general election that left it practically empty-handed and pondering its future, PSM held its 15th annual congress recently and resolved to stay the course and continue to champion socialist principles and left wing politics.

 

This, the party believes, is a political aspect Malaysia could use, at this point in time.

 

The challenge for the party, PSM chairman Dr Mohd Nasir Hashim told fz.com, is how to define socialism to people who are already biased against it.

 

(Socialism is defined as any of various theories or systems of social organisation in which the means of producing and distributing goods is owned collectively or by a centralised government that often plans and controls the economy.)

 

Nasir explained that they needed to cleanse perceptions about socialism that have been perpetrated negatively over the years by not only the government, but other political parties.

 

“Yes, we are facing hardship because we are carrying baggage from past. But for us, the truth is socialism,” he said.

 

“For us, we are fighting for the truth. We know we are fighting for the truth amidst a lot of blockages,” he added.