Police new conditions hinders democracy and freedom during elections

Police new conditions hinders democracy and freedom during elections

PSM Deputy Chairperson S Arutchelvan at PSM’s election announcement, 2nd November 2022.

PSM would like to condemn police unnecessary new conditions which is making our basic campaigning difficult. Initially during the briefing, we were told that only permits for political parties for ceramahs and the police will approve within a few hours without any delays.

Our experience dealing with the Seremban 2 IPD is that the permits cannot be processed immediately even if we apply for the permits a few days before the date of the of the event. Even on the day of the event, the police told us 2 days ago that permits can only be possessed in afternoon daily to be collected at 5pm daily.

Today we were shocked when Rembau Police says that we need permits even for candidate walkabouts! This is unprecedented! Is this a police state? Walkabout is the most basic of campaign done by parties during election and even this is restricted. We have always told the police to monitor us online as we are very transparent as all our activities are put there but they want to continue to shadow us.

With just 8 days to election, please let the parties to exercise their democratic rights and campaign without harassment and hindrance. It makes a mockery to democracy when even the most basic activities need police permits.

S.Arutchelvan
Election Director
10-11-2022

Pendirian PSM berkenaan PRU-15

(Artikel asal diterbitkan di Sosialis.Net)


Pada 30 Oktober lalu, iaitu 5 hari sebelum hari penamaan calon Pilihan Raya Umum (PRU) ke-15, Pakatan Harapan (PH) secara tidak langsung menggagalkan kerjasama pilihan raya (electroral pact) dengan PSM apabila tidak menawarkan sebarang kerusi kepada PSM untuk bertanding dalam PRU ke-15. Pada hari yang sama, PSM memutuskan untuk tidak lagi meneruskan kerjasama pilihan raya tersebut kerana tidak ada sebarang keperluan lagi.

PSM mengucapkan terima kasih atas sokongan padu daripada pelbagai organisasi, kawasan perjuangan dan rakyat jelata yang memberikan solidariti, dorongan dan sumbangan wang supaya kami meneruskan hasrat kami untuk melibatkan diri dalam PRU-15.

Memandangkan hanya ada dua hari sahaja sebelum hari penamaan calon pada 5 November 2022, PSM telah mengambil beberapa keputusan setelah mengadakan perbincangan dengan Jawatankuasa Nasional Parti dan ahli-ahli kami.

Isu pokok di hadapan kita adalah sama ada PSM hendak bertanding dalam PRU-15 atau “sit out” (tidak mengambil bahagian) memandangkan kekangan masa dan ruang yang ada. Setelah berbincang dengan komponen dalaman parti, PSM mengambil 3 keputusan seperti di bawah:

1. Walaupun PSM telah gagal dalam pembentukan kerjasama pilihan raya dengan PH, namun kami masih mengambil pendirian yang sejajar dengan Sesi Perbincangan Dalaman (SPD) pada 13 Februari 2022, iaitu PSM tidak akan menyertai sebarang gabungan lain seperti BN dan PN. Untuk PRU ini, kami akan bertanding secara bersendirian tanpa gabungan, dan juga ahli-ahli kami boleh menyokong dan membantu calon parti lain yang mempunyai rekod prestasi yang baik, progresif dan berjiwa rakyat.

2. PSM juga mengambil keputusan untuk bertanding dalam PRU ini secara minimum berbanding tidak bertanding langsung. Formula yang diambil parti adalah seperti berikut:

i. PSM tidak akan bertanding di kawasan sandangan (incumbent) Pakatan Harapan. Ini adalah untuk memberikan peluang kepada PH yang cuba mendapat kemenangan, selain daripada menangkis sebarang tafsiran bahawa PSM berniat untuk membalas dendam ekoran kegagalan kerjasama pilihan raya dengan PH.

Ini bererti juga bahawa Dr Jeyakumar tidak akan bertanding di kawasan Parlimen Sungai Siput buat pertama kalinya sejak tahun 1999. Selain itu, PSM juga tidak akan bertanding dalam kerusi-kerusi sandangan PH yang lain, tetapi mengambil keputusan untuk bertanding di kawasan Parlimen dan DUN yang lebih sukar dan merupakan kubu kuat BN. PSM menganggap ini sebagai satu cabaran kerana ini adalah kawasan-kawasan yang perlu kita buat kerja dan tempat yang perlu kita membina kuasa rakyat pada masa hadapan.

ii. Memandangkan kekangan masa dan faktor strategik, kami hanya akan bertanding di dua tempat baharu yang tidak pernah kami bertanding sebelum ini. Dua tempat ini ialah sebuah kawasan Parlimen di Negeri Sembilan, iaitu P131 Rembau yang agak besar, dan juga satu kawasan DUN di Perak, iaitu N48 Ayer Kuning.

Di dalam dua kawasan ini, PSM akan menetapkan dua orang calon tempatan dan bukannya calon payung terjun.

iii. Salah satu daripada dua kawasan yang dipilih ialah kawasan Parlimen Rembau yang terletak di Negeri Sembilan. Ia merupakan satu kawasan Parlimen yang besar dan mempunyai 4 kawasan DUN di bawahnya. Kawasan Parlimen ini dipilih kerana PSM tidak pernah meletakkan calon di Negeri Sembilan dan ini akan menjadi pembuka tirai untuk PSM di Negeri Sembilan selain daripada memberikan kami latihan lapangan untuk Pilihan Raya Negeri yang akan berlangsung dalam 6 bulan lagi.

Kawasan kedua ialah kawasan DUN Ayer Kuning di bawah kawasan Parlimen Tapah, di mana PSM tidak pernah bertanding di situ lagi tetapi mempunyai hasrat untuk memperluaskan kerja-kerja parti di kawasan sekitar pada masa hadapan. Di dalam kedua-dua kawasan ini, PSM pernah dan masih menjalankan kerja dengan masyarakat B40 tempatan, masyarakat pekerja ladang, petani, penternak dan juga pekerja kontrak kerajaan serta pekerja lain.

3. Walaupun PSM cukup sedar bahawa bertanding secara solo adalah satu cabaran yang cukup besar, dan mungkin kami akan dituduh sebagai membazir wang dan masa. Namun, kami merasakan sebagai sebuah parti perintis di negara ini yang membawa obor politik kiri, maka PSM tidak boleh sit out atau berkecuali dalam PRU ini.  Kami berhasrat mengambil kesempatan dalam kempen 2 minggu ini untuk mengetengahkan perkara berikut:

  • Memperkenalkan Manifesto PSM kepada rakyat Malaysia, kerana kami sebagai parti yang berasaskan idea sosialis, kami mempunyai tawaran kami yang berbeza kepada rakyat Malaysia.
  • Calon-calon kami ialah aktivis rakyat dan kami merasakan adalah penting untuk mereka membawa suara dan keluhan rakyat marhaen ke pentas Parlimen dan DUN yang akan didominasi oleh parti-parti berhaluan kanan dan agenda-agenda neoliberal.
  • Calon-calon PSM juga seperti biasa akan membuat pengisytiharan harta dan Aku Janji Lawan Perkauman yang tidak dilakukan oleh parti-parti lain. Ini juga akan meletakkan satu penanda aras yang tinggi untuk parti-parti lawan kami.

4. Selain itu, kawasan-kawasan perjuangan rakyat dan Jawatankuasa Marhaen akan menggunakan dua minggu tempoh kempen ini untuk mempopularkan tuntutan akar umbi mereka kepada semua calon daripada semua parti yang bertanding. Antara jaringan yang sudah mengatur program setakat ini untuk membina kuasa rakyat dan membuat tuntutan akar umbi ialah Jaringan Pekerja Kontrak Kerajaan (JPKK), Jawatankuasa Sokongan Masyakarat Ladang (JSML), Gabungan Pemandu Lori (GPL) dan GAPETA (Gabungan Petani dan Penternak dan Jaminan Makanan).

Akhir kata, pengalaman kami dalam PRU ini telah memberikan kami satu pengajaran penting bahawa kita perlu membina kekuatan kita sendiri di samping meneroka ruang untuk membina satu gabungan baharu dengan parti-parti berhaluan kiri dan kiri tengah berlandaskan program dan kuasa rakyat dari bawah.

Pilih Suara Marhaen!

S. Arutchelvan
Timbalan Pengerusi Nasional Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) / Pengarah Biro Pilihan Raya PSM

No seat for PSM – electoral pact with PH is off

No seat for PSM – electoral pact with PH is off

We were informed through an official letter from Pakatan Harapan dated 30th October 2022 that PSM’s minimum request for an electoral pact with PH has been totally rejected. Without a single seat given, we understand that PH does not desire an electoral pact with PSM. Our regret being the matter has been informed to us so late, in spite of a statement by Rafizi on Friday that certain seats were allocated for PSM and MUDA.

PSM requested an electoral pact with PH because it was the desire of our members, supporters as well as civil society members that PSM should not stand alone but join a coalition. PSM members after evaluating all the existing coalitions – BN, PN, PH, decided then to start a process of electoral pact with PH which is seen as the most multiracial and progressive coalition among the three.

PH then through official channels agreed that a process on the electoral pact with PSM will be initiated. In the 2 meetings held between us and PH, PSM put forward a very minimal request. We requested that our Chairperson Dr Jeyakumar be allowed to stand as he is the best and most winnable candidate for Sungai Siput. We also gave two other alternate requests of non-incumbent Parliament seats held by BN if the Sungai Siput seat were to be denied . We also requested 3 non-incumbent state seats held by BN. We nevertheless indicated that we would be happy with any Parliament seat and any two state seats. The PH negotiation team of YB Nik Nazmi and YB Steven Sim said that our issues could only be resolved by the Presidential Council which finally informed us today – 6 days before nomination day! – of this outcome.

We are disappointed that there was no serious effort made by PH to hasten this process or find a way despite numerous efforts on our part. We are also aware that many people hoping for us to work together with PH will be disappointed; as well as those who kept telling us, “Didn’t I tell you” will feel vindicated. We would just like to tell our members and supporters that we have tried. The pact is over but not the struggle.

PSM looks at the GE15 15 days away as a momentous election and a difficult election for PH due to the existing conditions and based on the recent state election results. Hence, we wanted to mobilise our machinery and grassroots communities towards this task.

With the latest development, PSM will be holding an emergency Central Committee meeting today as well as National Committee Meeting (our second highest decision-making body) tomorrow to decide if we would be contesting or sitting out of GE15.

S. Arutchelvan
PSM Elections Director &
PSM Deputy Chairperson

CPTPPA ratification – Azmin Ali’s latest betrayal ?!

CPTPPA ratification – Azmin Ali’s latest betrayal ?!

PSM condemns the underhanded tactic by the ex-Minister of International Trade and Industry, (MITI) Azmin Ali to have quietly sneaked out a letter to New Zealand, the CPTPPA Depositary, as an instrument for Malaysia to officially ratify the CPTPPA.  

These trade agreements, since the US-Malaysia Free Trade Agreement attempt by the Bush administration and later President Obama’s infamous Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement TPPA have been vehemently protested by the rakyat. There were massive protests against TPPA since 2010 when MITI started negotiations. 

Even though the TPPA agreement was signed by the Najib administration in February 2016, but it remained unenforceable when the US, under Donald Trump, pulled out of the agreement in 2017. The USA move crushed MITI’s hopes that Malaysia would be able to increase its exports to the USA.  But even the TPPA would have led to more imports than exports.

The CPTPPA is actually a rebranded TPPA with some provisions suspended that the Najib administration also signed in March 2018.  

The recent Price Waterhouse Cooper Cost Benefit Analysis has gaps and many questionable claims of benefits.  Without a truly comprehensive Cost Benefit Analysis done by Putrajaya after the US exit from the trade agreement, Malaysia only stands to lose if it pursues to ratify and implement the trade agreement. The CPTPPA would mean that;

  • Our trade imports could increase to more than USD 2.billion a year compared to exports when import tariffs are brought down to zero percent. 
  • Job losses are expected when we are a flooded with imported products at more competitive prices compared to our local SME manufactured products. 
  • Increased imports of agricultural products will destroy the livelihood of our local agro food producers. 
  • CPTPPA requires that Malaysia signs up to the UPOV 1991 Convention that prohibits seed sharing amongst local farmers, making them beholden to large agro corporations to procure their seeds, fertilisers and pesticides. 
  • Wide power granted to foreign investors under CPTPPA that would tie the government hands to implement affirmative action to the rakyat. 
  • Corporations empowered to sue Malaysian government if we do not honor the rights given to their investment as per the CPTPPA. 

Thus PSM joins the civil society organizations and the rakyat to reject the ratification of the CPTPPA and demand that Putrajaya immediately withdraws from this regressive trade agreement. It was extremely irresponsible of Minister Azmin Ali and MITI to submit the instrument for ratification days before the dissolution of Parliament, placing the burden on the new government to undo this betrayal to the rakyat. 

We call on the all GE15 candidates to reject the CPTPPA and carry out all measures to leave the trade agreement once and for all. 

Sivarajan A.
Secretary General PSM
29 October 2022

PSM National Chairperson summoned by Bukit Aman

PSM National Chairperson summoned by Bukit Aman

PSM National Chairperson Dr Jeyakumar has been summoned by Bukit Aman to be investigated based on a police report lodged against former AG Tommy Thomas in relation to a forum “Dark Forces Towards GE15” held on 17 September. He has been called to give statement on the 20th of October 2022

The police action is yet another waste of public funds and reflects the reality of the term dark forces towards GE15.

PSM strongly believes that Tommy Thomas and other speakers are entitled to their opinion and the forum allows for people to pose question and even disagree with the speakers. That is how a mature democracy works. Summoning people who spoke in a public forum will go against the spirit of free speech and freedom of expression as enshrined in our constitution

The police should instead spend our tax money on other better things for the benefit of the people and not entangle itself in political vendetta of certain quarters.

S.Arutchelvan
Deputy Chairperson
Parti Sosialis Malaysia

PSM eyes to reclaim Sg Siput seat, amongst other seats identified for GE15

PSM eyes to reclaim Sg Siput seat, amongst other seats identified for GE15

The PSM Central Committee had an emergency meeting on the 10 October 2022. The following was discussed.

1. PSM is disappointed that the Parliament was dissolved less than 3 days after the budget. It is a mockery of our parliamentary democracy. Besides this election will only be held at Parliament level which means the rakyat’s money will be further plundered because of the political interest of UMNO leaders. A national election at this time will also be a huge distraction to efforts and resources needed to meet monsoon emergencies.

2. Many media have asked us which seats we will be contesting. This will be very much determined by if the electoral pact with PH works out. Since our last meeting with the PH committee on 30 September 2022, we have yet to hear of any outcome officially from the Committee who did say that they will report to the PH Presidential Council.

3. Nevertheless PSM has put forward a very reasonable and minimum request to PH. Besides agreeing to use a common logo, we have asked to contest in the Sg. Siput parliament seat for PSM Chairperson while the other seats requested were seats which are not incumbent seats of the current four PH component parties.

4. Meanwhile PSM will proceed to have its training workshop for its shortlisted candidates and campaign managers on the 15th of October 2022.

5. On the 17th of October 2022, on the International day to Eradicate Poverty, the Marhaen coalition and sectors will also put forward their grassroots election demands to all the political parties contesting.

S.Arutchelvan
Pengarah Biro Pilihanraya PSM.
Timbalan Pengerusi
10 Oktober 2022

We Are Hiring! – Social Media Officer

We Are Hiring! – Social Media Officer

We are hiring! – Social Media Communication and Campaigns Officer

The Socialist Party of Malaysia is seeking a vibrant and ambitious person to be our social media communications and campaigns officer. The right person will be creative and innovative in driving our social media presence, broadening our online reach and developing and monitoring online campaigns that promote active engagement with the Party and the values, ideals and approaches that we stand for. You will also support greater communication and engagement amongst our growing Party membership.

If you have skills and experience in social media and online platforms, are committed to an honest politics, a fairer society and a strong economy, are passionate about harnessing the power of social media to drive a movement for change, then join us!

Interested candidates please send CV to pusat@partisosialis.org or WhatsApp to www.wasap.my/60102580455

Statement for International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons

Statement for International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons

As the United Nations General Assembly commemorates 26th September as the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons today, we are threatened by multiple conflicts around the world that could trigger a nuclear catastrophe.

While the commemoration serves to remind the world community to reaffirm their commitment to global nuclear disarmament as a priority, but we can single out the United States’ war mongering manoeuvres that increase tensions with nuclear powers such as China, Russia & North Korea.

There is nothing stopping the US and NATO from placing nuclear weapons interceptors in Ukraine, as they have done in Romania and Poland, a move that would further escalate tensions with Russia (by undermining the nuclear deterrence).

Similarly, the US led AUKUS initiative with Australia and UK to encircle China is causing provocations and tensions in the South Pacific.

On this day, PSM calls on the world community to rise and demand warmongering nations to cease escalations and seek a peaceful resolution to conflicts.

Parti Sosialis Malaysia