DAP snubs PSM call for local elections
Athi Shankar, Free Malaysia Today
Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) is disappointed with the snub by DAP councilors from Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP) on its signature campaign to restore the local government elections in the country.
PSM had organised the campaign in collaboration with several non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to gain support among local councillors in Penang to restore the third vote process, which had been stalled since the Indonesian Confrontation.
Yesterday at MPPP Town Hall in Esplanade, all 10 MPPP councillors from DAP, led by their whip Harvinder Singh, refused to sign PSM’s letter of pledge to support the campaign to restore the third vote.
PSM central committee member, Choo Chon Kai, who organised the signature campaign was taken aback by the DAP snub.
He said when contacted, Harvinder has cited to him that the pending decision of Penang’s local government election petition in the Federal Court as the main reason.
Chon Kai said PSM thought the DAP would back the campaign, which was to compliment and support the Penang government’s efforts to restore public elections for local councils.
Moreover, DAP has been in the forefront of a nationwide campaign to restore local government elections for years.
Chon Kai also pointed out that councillors from DAP’s allies in Pakatan Rakyat – PKR and PAS, and NGOs, had signed the letter of pledge willingly.
Indeed, eight out of 10 DAP councillors from Seberang Perai Municipal Council (MPSP) had signed the letter when the campaign was held outside the council building last Friday.
“We are absolutely disappointed with DAP’s snub.
“We find the reason given by Harvinder was ridiculous,” Chon Kai told FMT here today.
