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Free Malaysia Today
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
PSM needs rebrand to be formidable third force, say analysts
KS Bawani of PSM campaigning during the Ayer Kuning by-election last month. She polled 1,106 votes. (Facebook pic) PETALING JAYA : Although Parti Sosialis Malaysia has positioned itself as a third force and carved out a reputation of fighting for the working class, the party needs a rebrand if it hopes to become a formidable political challenger, according to political observers. Azmi Hassan of Akademi Nusantara said that while PSM managed to double its vote count in the Ayer Kuning by-election from its haul in the 2022 general election, the party still lacked Malay support. PSM must look to attract a broader base of voters to boost its political standing, going beyond being outspoken in championing issues plaguing farmers and estate workers. 'According to unofficial statistics from political parties, only 46 Malays voted for them in Ayer Kuning. This shows that the stigma of socialism is still strong (among the Malays). 'To be a serious third force, PSM must rebrand and be able to attract members across ethnic and class lines,' said Azmi. Known for championing farmers, plantation workers and marginalised communities, PSM has only ever won one parliamentary seat, namely the Sungai Siput constituency when Dr Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj was elected MP in 2008 and 2013 on PKR tickets. He failed to defend the seat in the 2018 general election and lost to PKR's S Kesavan, after PSM failed to reach an electoral pact with Pakatan Harapan. PSM and youth party Muda formed an alliance for the 2023 six state elections, but both parties suffered heavy defeats with all of their candidates losing their deposits. Sivamurugan Pandian of Universiti Sains Malaysia said PSM's 'socialist' label remained a major stumbling block as many Malaysians still equated socialism with communism. He said socialism remained 'a hard sell, especially among rural and even urban voters'. Sivamurugan said PSM lacked logistics, campaign machinery and manpower to mount a strong campaign, even though its candidate in Ayer Kuning picked up more votes. 'They are still very much limited in terms of strength compared with other political parties.' Separately, Urimai chairman P Ramasamy praised PSM for its commitment to addressing class inequality, crediting the party with doing a stellar job in championing issues involving the working class. However, the former Penang DAP leader advised PSM to widen its focus, saying it cannot escape the political reality that the main fault lines in Malaysia were ethnicity, religion and culture. 'If they want broader appeal, they must also address national concerns like racial and cultural discrimination. Socialism looks at class inequality but racial discrimination is also part of discrimination,' he said. While PSM's focus on land rights and farmers was commendable, Ramasamy said, expanding its voter base by taking on urban issues and the grievances of minorities could strengthen its position as a third force. 'The class contradiction is real but it's not the only contradiction that matters in Malaysian politics,' he said.
The Star
24-04-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Ayer Kuning polls: Bawani claims sabotage to campaign, lodges police report
TAPAH: KS Bawani, the Ayer Kuning by-election candidate from Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM), has claimed that her campaign was being sabotaged. The party deputy secretary-general said some materials, such as flags, have been taken down by unscrupulous individuals. "Some of our flags in Kampung Coldstream and Tapah Road were removed. "It was taken out by individuals who claim the area to be of a 'certain party's' and that we shouldn't put it there," she told The Star during a walkabout in Ayer Kuning town on Thursday (April 24). "We have lodged a report to the Election Commission (EC) and the police," she said. The by-election was called following the death of its incumbent Ishsam Shahruddin in February. Bawani will face Barisan Nasional's Dr Mohamad Yusri Bakir and Abd Muhaimin Malek of Perikatan Nasional for the state seat on Saturday (April 26). In the 15th General Election, Ishsam, from Umno, polled 9,088 votes and won by a 2,213-vote majority, defeating Pakatan Harapan's Mohd Nazri Hashim, Perikatan's Muhammad Noor Farid, Pejuang's Maziah Salim and Bawani. Bawani, who is also the state party chairman, said they were unhappy with the incidents. "We're a small party. Even our president, Dr Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj, personally helped to put up flags. "We bought the flags using the public donations and people think they can intimidate us," she said.
