Sejak keputusan PRN Johor pada hari Sabtu, 12hb.Mac , 2022 yang lalu, pelbagai analisis muncul terutamanya dari penganalisis politik dan juga dari ahli politik. Kebanyakkannya merungut mengenai kesilapan ‘pembangkang’. Apakah sepatutnya mereka buat, apakah salah tafsiran ahli politik, apakah strategi yang harus dipakaim dan sebagainya. Ada mengatakan kemenangan BN adalah disebabkan oleh penurunan peratus keluar mengundi. Kesemuanya berkisar sekeliling apakah baik untuk ‘parti politik’ ini dan itu.

Tetapi saya kurang membaca apajua komentar yang melihat apakah sebenarnya baik untuk rakyat berbanding dengan apakah baik untuk parti politik.

Selama 3 hingga 4 minggu saya berada di Johor untuk menyiapkan jentera Parti Sosialis Malaysia untuk bertanding di kerusi N49 Kota Iskandar Johor, saya mendengar pelbagai komen dari rakyat setempat. Diantara yang biasa didengar ialah “piliharaya ini membazir masa sahaja”, “ semua parti sama sahaja lah”, “lepas undi semua hilang tak tunaikan janji pada rakyat”, “takut Covid, tak keluar mengundi” dan komen-komen lain yang memaparkan ketidalpuashatian rakyat terhadap parti-parti politik sedia ada, dan juga keperluan mengadakan PRN sekarang.

Ada juga yang mengatakan bahawa mereka “confuse (keliru) kerana banyak sangat parti, pembangkang kerana perpecahan”. Saya juga melihat langsung tidak wujud apa-apa suasana pilihanraya dikalangan rakyat. Tidak ada laungan “ini kali lah” ataupun motivasi untuk turun mengundi dengan harapan memperbaiki nasib rakyat biasa.

Justeru itu disinilah kita harus berfikir secara mendalam. Kenapa rakyat merasakan bahawa kehidupan mereka dan kesusahan mereka tidak akan berubah melalui PRN Johor kali ini? Adakah mereka sudah capai ke kesimpulan bahawa, manajua parti yang menang ianya 2×5, 5×2 sahaja? Atau adakah rakyat mendahulukan kestabilan selepas ketidaktentuan politik sejak Langkah Sheraton pada awal tahun 2020 lagi? Rakyat sanggup mengkorbankan aspirasi perubahan sebenar, demi kestabilan politik walaupun ianya datang dari blok yang pernah dicampakkan oleh rakyat sendiri pada tahun 2018.

PRN Johor dan PRN sebelumnya di Melaka dan Sarawak, harus memberikan peluang kepada rakyat untuk merenung kembali sebenarnya apakah peranan parti politik dalam menentukan masa depan mereka.

Jika dilihat parti-parti yang memperjuangkan hak Bumiputera dari UMNO dan serpihannya seperti BERSATU dan Pejuang, rakyat kini jelas memahami bahawa kesemuanya hanya ‘menjual’ retorik hak Melayu untuk menumpukan kekayaan kepada golongan elit Melayu dan bukannya majoriti rakyat Melayu. Begitu juga parti-parti lain yang mengunakan retorik kaum sebagai agenda mereka.

Jika dilihat pada pembangkang (yang pernah menjadi Kerajaan selama 22 bulan) juga gagal membawa perubahan jelas dalam kehidupan rakyat, terutamanya isu-isu asas. Walaupun mereka hanya dalam pemerintahan selama 22 bulan tetapi mereka berkuasa di Pulau Pinang dan Selangor selama 14 tahun. Apa pula nasib rakyat dikedua-dua Negeri itu?

Perubahan sebenar dalam kehidupan harian hanya akan tercapai jika kita membawa kuasa politik yang berani melawan arus. Melawan arus maksudnya, politik yang memahami hegemoni ekonomi dan politik yang mengkongkong kita. Suatu tatacara sistem ekonomi yang merampas hasil titik peluh rakyat untuk mengkayakan segelintir elit bisnes dan politik. Ianya berlaku dalam pelbagai cara, bermula dari polisi gaji murah kepada pekerja demi membolehkan Ketua Eksekutif (CEO) menerima gaji ratusan ribuan ringgit setiap bulan. Monopoli bisnes yang menekan peniaga kecil. Perniagaan Kecil dan Sederhana (PKS) yang terpaksa mengurangkan kos kerana dituntut oleh pembeli multinasional.

Perampasan tanah dari petani, orang asli dan juga penduduk kampong untuk diberikan kepada korporat besar. Penindasan pekerja industry e-hailing, p-hailing , penghantar makanan dan barangan yang melihat pendapatan mereka semakin berkurang walaupun pesanan bertambah.

Hasil nelayan yang berkurang kerana pembangunan sisir pantai dan industry perngorekkan pasir yang berleluasa. Maka kos makanan bertambah kerana nelayan dan petani tempatan dipinggirkan dan rakyat beralih ke makanan impot.

Senarai isu-isu rakyat marhain iaitu majoriti pengundi dimana-mana kawasan mengundi amatlah panjang, tetapi siapa yang berani melawan arus hegemoni ekonomi dan politik ini untuk membawa perubahan sebenar?

Hampir kesemua parti-parti politik dan juga gabungan-gabungan politik samaada yang memerintah atau pernah memerintah ini nampaknya lebih ingin mengekalkan ‘status quo’ hegemoni ini kerana ianya jelas juga menguntungkan kerjaya politik mereka.

Maka, pengajaran dari PRN Johor dan pilihanraya sebelum ini ialah, rakyat harus meneliti pendirian dan pegangan parti-parti politik-politik ini. Retorik politik bersih, telus dan anti-rasuah itu penting, tetapi ianya tidak mencukupi untuk memecahkan hegemoni ekonomi yang menekan rakyat.

Parti Sosialis Malaysia, walaupun suatu kuasa yang kecil, berani membawa suatu naratif politik baru yang benar-benar mencabar hegemoni ekonomi kapitalis ini. Ini bukan suatu kenyataan kosong, kerana rekod sejarah perjuangan PSM sememangnya diakui ramai. Dari perjuangan menentang perampasan tanah orang kampong tradisi, peneroka Bandar, Orang Asli, pekerja estet sehinggalah perjuangan menentang pengumpulan kekayaan oleh korporat bisnes.

Maka, kita perlukan suatu peralihan, dari mengundi parti-parti yang menjual retorik ‘kaum’ kepada alternatif politik yang meletakkan perjuangan kelas masyarakat sebagai agenda utamanya. Sebab perjuangan kelas marhain akan memanfaatkan kesemua kaum, terutamanya kaum Melayu yang masih merupakan kaum yang mempunyai peratus pendapatan isi rumah dibawah RM2000 yang tertinggi.

Politik perjuangan kelas akan mengenalpasti pelakon-pelakon yang menaja dan mengekalkan hegemoni ekonomi ini dan melancarkan perjuangan terhadap mereka agar kekayaan masyarakat dikongsikan dengan lebih adil.

Kini sudah tiba masanya, kita beralih kepada memilih kuasa politik yang jelas dalam perjuangan kelas dan berani memecahkan hegemoni ekonomi yang menghambakan rakyat terbanyak. PRU15 akan memberikan rakyat satu lagi peluang untuk menolak parti-parti perkauman dan parti-parti yang mengelar diri mereka sebagai radikal dan reformis, tetapi sebenarnya amat kabur dalam pendirian mereka menentang hegemoni ekonomi kapitalis ini.

Cukup sudah rakyat diperbodohkan dengan parti-parti politik serpihan ini yang kononya berbeza dan akan menyelesaikan permasalahan rakyat. Pengalaman dan pengkhianatan politik mereka telah menjadikan rakyat lebih matang untuk memilih dengan lebih teliti sebuah parti dan kuasa politik yang berdasarkan perjuangan kelas yang sebenarnya.

Sivarajan A
Setiausaha Agung PSM
14/3/2022

08 March 2022 

This year’s International Women’s Day theme, “Break the Bias”, aims to bring awareness to the gender biases women face every day in all walks of life. Biases exist around us in terms of gender, colour, nationality, height, identity, physical disability, sexuality, and the list goes on. #BreaktheBias encourages us to rethink and call out gender bias when we see it happen, keeping us accountable for our thoughts and actions.

Gender bias refers to women being treated differently than men and her potential being suppressed in many aspects. Whether the bias is deliberate or subconscious, it prevents women from achieving their full potential by obstructing many chances and recognition due to them.

In 2020, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) released a study revealing that almost 90% of men and women show some bias against women, which creates a lot of barriers and obstacles for women. Consider the Gender Social Norms Index (GSNI) which measures how social beliefs obstruct gender equality in areas like politics, work, and education, and contains data from 75 countries, covering over 80 percent of the world’s population. This GSNI raises concerns about the vast power gap between men and women in politics and the economy. 

Even today, in Malaysia even women Parliamentarians have to struggle extra hard to make their voices to be heard in the midst of all the sexist taunts in Parliament by their male counterparts. Can you imagine what is the fate of normal women in workplace and public domain in trying to get their voices heard or their issues highlighted?

Our society as a whole has proven to be biased, sexist, misogynistic, unequal, and insensitive. It reveals itself in our thought process, working norms, and interactions deeply rooted in traditional gender roles and norms and the underlying imbalance of power that shapes them. This creates a substantial disparity in how women and girls acquire opportunities to engage in public life compared to men and boys.

The Malaysian society perpetuates many ‘norms’ that marginalizes several factions of society, including the LGBTQI+ individuals. For women in Malaysia, especially women from the minority, marginalized and underrepresented groups, this year’s IWD theme is very meaningful as it focuses on equal representation, gender balance in the public decision-making process and the end to the bias. 

We all have our unconscious biases, which is a huge problem. It is time for us to realize it and encourage women to speak up against bias in the workplace, at home, in Parliament, and in every aspect of our lives. It’s time to be inspired and inspire others to break the bias. 

Regardless of gender, International Women’s Day (IWD) on 8 March is a moment for us to reflect on and celebrate the women’s struggle in Malaysia and globally. Together, we can take it further and make more progress supporting women’s rights. Equality is not only for imagination and dreams; it is a collective responsibility and Gender Equality is not a women issue but a human issue.

Happy International Women’s Day from Parti Sosialis Malaysia

Nalini Elumalai
Gender Bureau
Parti Sosialis Malaysia

8hb Feb 2022

Murali Vengu seorang pekerja keselamatan yang telah bekerja dengan sebuah bengkel kereta kemalangan dan pusat tuntutan insurans, telah menfailkan tuntutan gaji kerja lebih masa (OT), gaji cuti rehat dan juga gaji cuti hari kelepasan am terhadap majikannya pada bulan Oktober, 2021 yang lalu.

Murali seorang sahajalah yang menjaga keseluruhan stor bengkel yang menempatkan kereta-kereta kemalangan yang sedang melalui proses bayaran insurans. Majikan bengkel tidak mengambil pekerja keselamatan tambahan. Maka beliau diminta bekerja dari 7 malam sehinggalah pejabat bengkel tersebut buka pada jam 9 pagi pada hari keesokannya. Walaupun beliau sepatutnya hanya bertugas selama 12 jam, iaitu dari 7 malam sehingga 7 pagi, tetapi biasanya beliau diminta tunggu sehingga pekerja ofis masuk kerja pada jam 9 pagi. Maka beliau bekerja sehingga 14 jam setiap hari.

Murali juga tidak diperuntukkan apajua cuti rehat setiap minggu, cuti tahunan dan diminta juga kerja pada hari kelepasan am. Pada hari dimana Murali terpaksa keluar untuk urusan penting, beliau terpaksa menempatkan isterinya di pondok pengawal untuk sementara waktu sehingga beliau pulang.

Walaupun bekerja 12 jam hingga 14 jam setiap hari, tetapi beliau hanya menerima gaji asas sebanyak RM 1,300 dan elaun petrol sebanyak RM250 setiap bulan. Sehingga beliau berhenti kerja pada tahun 2018, beliau langsung tidak dibayar gaji kerja lebih masa OT.

Semasa rundingan di Jabatan Tenaga Kerja Subang Jaya pada hari ini, majikan cuba mengelirukan pegawai dengan mengatakan bahawa pelbagai bayaran telah dibuat kepada Murali. Tetapi pemeriksaan lanjut menunjukkan bahawa majikan mengabungkan bayaran elaun petrol dan caruman KWSP untuk memberikan gambaran bahawa suatu jumlah besar telah dibayar kepada Murali dan tuntutannya tidak betul.

Saya telah menerangkan bahawa, tuntutan Murali sebenarnya melibatkan pelbagai komponen seperti tuntutan gaji lebih masa (OT) hari kerja biasa, hari rehat, hari kelepasan am, gaji kerja hari rehat dan gaji kerja hari kelepasan am. Majikan pun mengaku bahawa bayaran gaji kerja lebih masa sememangnya tidak dibayar kepada Murali, maka mereka mencadangkan suatu penyelesaian dibincangkan tanpa melalui perbicaraan penuh.

Selepas rundingan beberapa kali diantara majikan dan pegawai, akhirnya majikan bersetuju membayar sebanyak RM 58,000 kepada Murali sebagai amaun penyelesaian. Jumlah tersebut adalah lebih kurang bersamaan dengan RM 1,600/sebulan gaji lebih masa untuk 3 tahun.

Seperti Murali, ada ramai lagi pekerja keselamatan yang ditipu tanpa dibayar gaji lebih masa, walaupun ianya jelas dinyatakan sebagai amaun yang perlu dibayar oleh majikan dalam Akta Kerja. Maka, lebih ramai lagi pekerja keselamatan harus memastikan bahawa hak mereka terbela dan kiraan gaji merangkumi bayaran gaji kerja lebih masa.

Rakyat pekerja hanya dapat mengajar majikan-majikan seperti ini, jika lebih ramai lagi yang menfailkan kes dan mengheret mereka ke Mahkamah Buruh. Tindakan ini amat penting, demi memastikan industry pengawal keselamatan ini menghentikan penindasan dan perampasan hasil titik peluh pekerja tanpa membayar gaji OT.

Sivarajan Arumugam
Setiausaha Agung
Parti Sosialis Malaysia

(originally published on ThinkLeft)

The major floods that happened are a call for greater class consciousness and better national policies to mitigate the devastating effects of extreme weather due to climate change. Apart from having the government meet the demands that we, the rakyat have set through Gabungan Darurat Iklim Malaysia (GDIMY), we propose a more proactive approach towards this cause. As capitalism continues to leave a trail of destruction, we need to switch on emergency mode through advocating for a change in our economy by bringing in an unconventional ideology: eco-socialism. 

On the 16th of December 2021, a tropical depression that made landfall on the eastern coast of Peninsular Malaysia brought heavy rains throughout the peninsula for several days. As a result of this, Malaysia experienced one of the worst floods in history, leaving an estimated 70,000 displaced and 50 dead.

The government was slow to deliver flood response, and a lack of clear central communication made things worse. Flood victims and volunteers take to social media to call for aid and coordination of flood relief efforts, showing solidarity among the people in the face of disasters.

According to the Climate Emergency Coalition of Malaysia (Gabungan Darurat Iklim Malaysia), lacklustre flood mitigation policies, loss of biodiversity and rainfall catchment areas, poor urban planning and unchecked development are all factors that culminated in this disaster.

The low-lying Taman Sri Muda township in Shah Alam is one of the worst flooded areas, with flood water reaching up to 4 metres. For 20 years, flood mitigation measures were sufficient to avoid major flooding — until the development of new projects in the surrounding areas compounded on the existing drainage system. 

Taman Sri Muda’s system is now burdened with water from surrounding areas that triples its original water retention capacity, and tidal gates have broken pumps that are not fixed, despite having a RM 10 million allocation for upgrading works.

Why are new development projects being approved without proper urban and flood mitigation planning? And why are state governments and relevant authorities not doing enough to fix urban infrastructure?

Malaysia’s urban landscape must not be dictated by a handful of developers that prioritise short-term profit over residents’ safety and wellbeing, as overdevelopment comes at a heavy price paid by ordinary citizens in the long run.

The flood not only laid bare the devastating effects of capitalism that thrives on the relentless pursuit of profits over sustainable development, it also managed to flush out the dirty laundry of our ruling elites. 

After the flood, our people were shocked at the horrific images on social media of mass timber debris floating on the rivers of Jalan Bentong-Karak and the Sri Telemong bridge. Civil society organisations and opposition parties often raised concerns over uncontrolled logging activities to the state government, yet it seems that this issue is not taken seriously.

State governments who have sole authority over forests are often embroiled in a situation where they will award forest logging licences or convert forest lands into crop plantations to generate state revenue or use it to gain political leverage — often with the involvement of Malaysia’s royal families.

In early June 2021, the Pahang state government approved an iron ore excavation project by a royalty-linked mining company near Tasik Chini, a UNESCO biosphere reserve. 

The forest reserve has a history of pollution due to mining and logging activities since 2005. Orang Asli communities in the area have been concerned about their wells being contaminated due to their reliance on rain and swamp water for consumption and daily activities. 

Fortunately, the project had been cancelled later in the month due to public outrage. Yet, later in the same month, there were still iron ore mining proposals at a degazetted forest reserve in Kuala Mukim Tembeling, Pahang which is listed as an Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA).

Under capitalism, corporates and ruling elites share the same class interest of capital accumulation, even if it means risking severe loss of biodiversity and destroying the livelihoods of indigenous communities for the sake of profit.

The climate crisis is no longer a looming threat, it is happening in Malaysia as observed through extreme weather patterns and hotter temperatures. It is time we ask the people, do the state governments have it in their interests to protect the environment that secures the well-being of the people? Are the royal families who are being hailed as ‘protectors of the people’ walking their talk?

Echoing the solidarity spirit of #KitaJagaKita, we the people only have ourselves to rely on to mobilise for concrete changes in the country’s political landscape. Just like how the people mobilised and helped each other during the floods, we must continue showing solidarity across different races, religions and nationalities for a better world.

For the wealthy ruling elites, heavy rain meant lazy weathers and lie-ins; but for the everyday citizens, environmental destruction brought along devastating floods and a hazy future as they lost everything. 

The rift between the elites and the people is a class struggle on display, reflecting the central tenet of Marxism: “the history of all hitherto existing human society is the history of class struggles.”

Capitalism is a system that pursues infinite economic growth and profit in a world with finite resources. The system has been efficient in production, but it has exacerbated global wealth inequality. Land, natural resources and wealth concentrated in the hands of the ruling class at the expense of the people.

Instead of focusing on economic growth through resource extraction and mega-development projects, we should overcome the crisis of capitalism and fight for social ownership of the means of production among the people. 

Our political system must also incorporate the ideology of eco-socialism — that life can only be preserved with the preservation of nature. The world needs to move towards an egalitarian post-capitalist economic, political and social structure which can fulfill human needs through harmony of human and non-human ecology. 

Huei Ting and Audrey Chan
Bureau of Environment and Climate Crisis
Parti Sosialis Malaysia

10 December 2021

The principles of equality and non-discrimination are the heart of human rights

Today, on 10 December 2021, the world commemorates International Human Rights Day. International Human Rights Day marks the 63rd anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.

This year’s Human Rights Day theme relates to “Equality” and article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights”.

Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) joins the world in commemorating this day. We are incredibly concerned that we are celebrating International Human Rights Day in a period where socio-economic and political rights continue to deteriorate. People remain excluded from nation-building and socio-economic matters. Fundamental economic and social rights like social protection, water, health, education, food, shelter are still far from reality for the most marginalised communities.

If there is one crucial thing that the COVID 19 pandemic has taught us, it is that discrimination in policies and governance has caused the marginalised to suffer, due to rooted injustice and inequalities. The principles of equality and non-discrimination are the heart of human rights, and it must be the purpose of any government to make sure that every human is protected. We still witness how LGBT communities are constantly being excluded and discriminated against because of their gender, identity or sexuality. The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated how minorities, migrants, and refugees bear the brunt of exhausted healthcare systems, face increased stigma, and become hate speech and discrimination targets.

PSM remains concerned that in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, citizens have continued to suffer marginalisation and various forms of repression and aggression in the country. Human rights violations such as deaths in custody, torture, assault, unlawful arrests and harassment against media, human rights defenders and opposition party activists have increased throughout the year. The government and its affiliated law enforcement institutions have been identified as the foremost perpetrators of these violations.

PSM also regrets that the restrictions of fundamental freedoms, which were implemented supposedly to curb the COVID-19 pandemic, have further exacerbated violations and related impunity by the government. According to SUARAM, the suppression of the right to freedom of expression, assembly, and association has increased in 2021. In 2021, the government aggressively applied the Sedition Act and Communication and the Multimedia Act (CMA) against government critics, ordinary citizens and human rights defenders.

On 14 October 2021, the UN General Assembly elected Malaysia to join the Human Rights Council for 2022 to 2024. The government made many promises in its pledge to win the seat. The Malaysian government must demonstrate its commitment to human rights as a prospective member of the UN Human Rights Council and strengthen human rights protections in Malaysia.

In light of this sad state of affairs, we also take this opportunity to call for tolerance and acceptance, a culture of respect for one another and appreciation of diversity and inclusion. We believe a tolerant society is a foundational basis for the full enjoyment of the rights established by the Declaration and guaranteed by the Constitution of Malaysia. The government should embrace the principles and spirit of the Declaration and fully respect, protect, and fulfill all its citizens’ human rights and end any form of discrimination and inequality.

Nalini E
Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM)

The crises of capitalism are growing more acute and more extreme with each passing day.

The recent Glasgow Climate Summit (COP26) confirmed (yet again) that even when a liveable climate – and therefore the survival of our species – is at stake, the capitalist rulers have no meaningful answers for the needs of the people.

The capitalist elite prioritise corporate profits over a liveable climate, over health care in a global pandemic and over basic livelihoods in the midst of a global inequality crisis.

The organisers of the Socialism 2021 conference believe it is imperative that ordinary people reject the ruling class agenda and forge a movement that can resist the capitalist elite, both ideologically and practically.

Ultimately we need to replace their oppressive, profit-driven system with an alternative based on popular power and meeting human needs.

We are encouraged by the solidarity among left wing forces across the region. That solidarity is demonstrated with the organising of this conference and other projects.

We look forward to building a stronger left collaboration based on:

socialism

Socialism is the practical alternative to capitalism.

redistribute the wealth

Billionaires have grown rich during the pandemic. That wealth should be reappropriated and used for the benefit of the people.

healthcare for all

The global vaccine apartheid is a glaring example of the injustice of profits-first capitalism. Every person in every country deserves free, good quality health care.

for genuine people’s democracy, against state repression

We express our solidarity with genuine people’s democracy struggles from below in Thailand, Myanmar, Hong Kong, Sudan and throughout the world.

for gender equality

Oppression of women is one of the central pillars of capitalist society. We support not only full legal equality but genuine emancipation for women. We also support people’s right to determine their gender identity and expression.

defend workers’ rights

Everyone has the right to secure, well paid jobs and a safe working environment. Governments should guarantee full employment and workers should have full rights to organise in unions and to defend our rights at work.

for global climate justice

Global heating is the biggest challenge facing humanity and the capitalist rulers have proven incapable of meeting this challenge. National governments should take unilateral action to ensure no new fossil fuel projects are developed and existing projects are phased out. Wealthy countries should pay their climate debt to the Global South including zero carbon technology and financing.

against a new “cold war”

We are against US-led imperialist aggression directed towards China and we call for demilitarisation of the Southeast Asian Sea (South China Sea).

end the criminal sanctions on Venezuela and Cuba

End imperialist intervention in Latin America.

solidarity with self determination struggles

We extend our solidarity to oppressed people everywhere including in Papua, Palestine, Kashmir and Rojava.

justice for farmers and peasants

A comprehensive program to enhance food security, in order to ensure the access to healthy food for the people and to protect the livelihood of small local farmers, in all countries. We salute the victory of Indian farmers in defeating Modi’s attacks.

The capitalist elites cannot solve the problems of the people. The alternative is socialism based on grassroots organising and popular democracy. We pledge our solidarity to advance the struggles to achieve this goal.

Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM)
Kesatuan Perjuangan Rakyat (KPR), Indonesia
Partai Rakyat Pekerja (PRP), Indonesia
Socialist Workers Thailand
Socialist Alliance, Australia
Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM), Philippines

This joint declaration is also available in Malay, Indonesian, Thai and Chinese.