Socialist Party of Malaysia
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Socialist Party of Malaysia | |
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The Socialist Party of Malaysia (PSM,
History
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The end of PSRM (1990)
The last socialist party to exist in Malaysia, Parti Sosialis Rakyat Malaysia, reverted their name to
Formation of PSM (1990–1998)
In 1991, several
In 1995, these grassroots organisation who already had their strong support among the plantation workers, the urban poor, and industrial workers formed an alliance and the idea for a political party to represent the aspirations of the poor and the marginalised was mooted. The election results in 1995 hastened this process and after years of discussion and consolidations, it was finally agreed that a party with socialist ideology was needed to liberate the masses from their current conditions.
With this in mind, the groups took more than two and the half years to draft the party's constitution, which was ready by the end of 1997. After further consultation with the masses, on 1 May 1998, the new party known as the Socialist Party of Malaysia was officially put for registration.
Legal status
The Federal Government had refused to recognise PSM since the latter's formation. The government had rejected the party's application to register as a political party alleging that PSM was a threat to national security. However, because the right to form a political party is guaranteed in the constitution, the PSM took the government and the Home Minister to court for abusing their power. Although the
1999 general election
In 1999, the party decided to contest in
2004 general election
In the
2008 general election
Three PSM members contested in the
Candidate Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj won PSM's first ever federal parliamentary seat by defeating then president of Malaysian Indian Congress and long-serving Minister of Works Samy Vellu in Sungai Siput. PSM's president Mohd Nasir Hashim won the Kota Damansara seat in the Selangor state legislative assembly.
Although S. Arutchelvan lost, PSM's election campaigning resulted in an increase in membership in Semenyih. The remaining member who contested Jelapang as an independent was M. Sarasvathy.[3]
2013 general election
The two PSM incumbents, Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj and Nasir Hashim, recontested their seats in the
Another two PSM members, S. Arutchelvan and M. Sarasvathy, also recontested the same seats but this time under the PSM ticket.
2018 general election
For the
PSM did not succeed in winning any seats this election and lost the Sungai Siput parliamentary seat it held since 2008.
2023 state election
On 15 July 2023, PSM and Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (MUDA) announced a political alliance for the 2023 state elections as the "third choice" for voters "who are unhappy and bored with the politicians now and want to protest."[5]
Leadership
- Chairman
- Deputy Chairman
- S. Arutchelvan
- Secretary-General
- Sivarajan Arumugam
- Assistant Secretary-General
- K.S. Bawani
- Treasurer
- Soh Sook Hua
- Assistant Treasurer
- Madhavi
- Central Executive Committee members
- Khairul Nizam @ Aduka
- Julius Choo Chon Kai
- Mohana Rani Rasiah
- Letchimi Devi
- Sivaranjani Manickam
- Karthiges
- Chong Yee Shan
- Parameiswary Elumalai
- Mahira Muliotoh
- Nalini Elumalai
- Kohila
- Cheong Huei Ting
- PSM Youth Chief
- Arveent Kathirtchelvan
Ideology
According to their official website, PSM is only eight years old[as of?] but has working experience with the masses that goes back more than fifteen years[as of?]. Over the years, the party's three main front organisations had established more than a hundred sub-fronts. PSM strength lies in its work done with the masses especially the plantation workers, the urban poor, the Industrial workers and the peasants. The party also collaborates with the progressive student movement. PSM remain today perhaps the only party in Malaysia taking a class line and highlighting the plight of the poor from low wages, forceful eviction to retrenchment. The party has also made some inroads into organising union in the last two year[when?] and have working committees in around 50 factories throughout the country. While civil and political protest are carried out by the mainstream political parties, PSM continues to support and organise pickets, strike and demonstration among the working class.
Seven-Point Manifesto
PSM has a seven-point manifesto which lists the following policies:[6]
- Workers' rights will be safeguarded (e.g. minimum wage, automatic recognition of workers unions and 90-day maternal leave).
- The eradication of neo-liberal policies (e.g. halting privatisation of health care, education and other public necessities).
- Stopping the Free Trade Agreement with western imperial powers.
- Provide comfortable and humane housing for both rural and urban inhabitants.
- Stopping racial and religious politics to foster greater unity among the people.
- Eradication of corruption and abuse of power.
- Stopping the destruction of the environment.
General election results
Election | Total seats won | Seats contested | Total votes | Voting Percentage | Outcome of election | Election leader |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1999
|
0 / 193
|
25 | ; No representation in Parliament | Mohd Nasir Hashim | ||
2004
|
0 / 219
|
33 | ; No representation in Parliament | Mohd Nasir Hashim | ||
2008
|
1 / 222
|
11 | 16,458 | 1 seat; Opposition coalition (PR) |
Mohd Nasir Hashim | |
2013
|
1 / 222
|
9 | 21,593 | ; Opposition coalition (PR) |
Mohd Nasir Hashim | |
2018
|
0 / 222
|
5 | 3,782 | 0.03% | 1 seat; No representation in Parliament | Mohd Nasir Hashim |
2022 | 0 / 222
|
5 | 779 | 0.01% | ; No representation in Parliament (allied with PRM) | Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj |
State election results
State election | State Legislative Assembly | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kelantan | Penang | Perak | Pahang | Selangor | Johor | Total won / Total contested | |
2/3 majority | 2 / 3
|
2 / 3
|
2 / 3
|
2 / 3
|
2 / 3
|
2 / 3
| |
2004 | 0 / 59
|
0 / 56
|
0 / 2
| ||||
2008 | 0 / 59
|
1 / 56
|
1 / 3
| ||||
2013 | 0 / 59
|
0 / 56
|
0 / 3
| ||||
2018 | 0 / 45
|
0 / 40
|
0 / 59
|
0 / 42
|
0 / 56
|
0 / 12
| |
2022 | 0 / 56
|
0 / 1
|
See also
- Category:Socialist Party of Malaysia politicians
- List of political parties in Malaysia
- Politics of Malaysia
References
- ^ "PSM allowed to register as political party" (fee required). Malaysiakini. 17 June 2007. Retrieved 18 June 2008.
- ^ "PSM allowed to register as political party". Official Socialist Party of Malaysia website. Retrieved 20 June 2008.
- ^ Peter Boyle, Electoral break-through to test socialists, Green Left Weekly, 29 March 2008
- ^ "PSM to contest seats using their own logos, not PKR's".
- ^ Chan, Julia (15 July 2023). "Muda, PSM join forces for state polls to take a stand against racial politics". Malay Mail. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
- ^ Seven Part Manifesto, Official Socialist Party of Malaysia website. Retrieved 21 August 2010