Please help Links stay afloat. Donate what you can!
Click on Links masthead to clear previous query from search box
Syndicate
Recent comments
- International Transport Workers' Fed. condemns Zim arrests
3 hours 21 min ago - NYT: Zimbabwe Police Break Up Protest
3 hours 39 min ago - Jorge Martin: Chavez orders investigation into killings, company
10 hours 43 sec ago - Indigenous Peoples Statement on Climate Change
10 hours 9 min ago - Malaysia: Ketuanan Melayu Rebutted
1 day 2 hours ago - What is to be done, etc., etc.
1 day 3 hours ago - What about `what about Thaksin's'?
1 day 3 hours ago - What about Thaksin's
1 day 4 hours ago - Rival `Left party' formed in France
1 day 8 hours ago - Asia Sentinal: A Grim Political Battle in Thailand
1 day 8 hours ago
Malaysia: Socialist Party wins two seats
By Peter Boyle
The Socialist Party of Malaysia (PSM) won two of the four seats it contested in the general elections on March 8. Dr Jeyakumar, a central committee member of the PSM defeated a senior leaders of the ruling Barisan Nasional, Minister of Works Samy Vellu, in the seat of Sungai Siput in Perak. Last August I visited Sungai Siput with Jeyakumar and other PSM comrades. Their strong base among plantation workers (mostly descendants of indentured labourers brought from India in the British colonial era) was very obvious.
PSM president Dr Nasir Hashim won the state Legislative Assemby seat of Kota Damansara in Selangor. “Today is a great day for all Malaysian opposition parties including PSM”, declared the party’s website.
See http://www.parti-sosialis.org
``The people of Sungai Siput and Kota Damansara have shown their appreciation for the years of community work we have done there by voting for our candidates yesterday! Our candidate, Dr. Kumar defeated Samy Vellu in Sungai Siput, Perak, for our first ever Parliament seat and Nasir Hashim won the DUN Kota Damansara seat! Both ran under the Keadilan flag.
PSM supporters celebrate
``Here onwards, Parlimen and Dewan Undangan Negeri joins the grounds from here we stand up for the rights of the oppressed - from the working class and the poor to single mothers and orang aslis [indigenous
people].''
The PSM, which has been undemocratically refused electoral registration, stood its candidates under the banner of main opposition Keadilan (Justice) Party. Keadilan is led by former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar
Ibrahim who was framed and jailed for years by former PM Mohamed Mahathir.
***
Apart from the two victorious PSM candidates, Jeyajumar Deveraj and Nasir Hisham, another two progressive activists also won seats under the Keadilan (Justice) Party banner:
* Tian Chua, who began his politicalactivism while an overseas student in Sydney. His blog is here: http://tianchua.net/
* Eli Wong, a human rights activist who also began her political activism while studying in Sydney. Her blog:
http://elizabethwong.wordpress.com/
Comments
PSM: Socialists in Malaysian Parliament after four decades
Socialists make come back in Malaysian Parliament after four decades
PSM, Kuala Lumpur, 9 March 2008
After four decades, two members of Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM)
finally won elections and would be sworn in as State Assemblyman and
Parliamentarian. PSM National Chairperson, Dr. Nasir Hashim won the
Kota Damansara State seat in Selangor beating National Front UMNO
candidate Zein Isma Ismail by 1,075 majority. Dr. Nasir secured 11,846
votes compared to Zein 10,771. Meanwhile Central Committee Member, Dr.
Jeyakumar created a major upset by beating MIC's Datuk S.Samy Vellu
who is a senior minister and the leader of the third largest component
party in the Barisan National. Dr. Kumar obtained 16,458 votes
compared to 14,637 votes obtained by Samy Vellu. Kumar would now
become the first Socialist Parliamentarian after more than four
decades in waiting.
The last time Socialist won a Parliamentary seat was in 1964 when
Socialist Front won two seats whereby the last time the Socialist won
a State Assemble seat was in 1969 when Parti Sosialis Rakyat Malaysia
(PSRM) won four state seats in Penang (Teluk Bahang and Balik Pulau)
and Pahang (Terentum and Temerloh).
Now almost four decades later, PSM finally won two seats. One in
parliament and one in State Assemble. PSM contested in four seats
using the PKR's logo since the party could not use its own logo as its
registration as a political party has been denied. It used a separate
7 point manifesto while endorsing the Opposition front (PKR and PAS)
manifesto. All party and campaign documents carried the party's logo
as well as the flag which was used along with the PKR's flag.
The party contested in four seats. PSM Secretary General S.Arutchelvan
lost narrowly to BN candidate JohaN Abdul Aziz in the Semenyih state
seat. Comrade Arul garnered 10,448 votes against Johan 11,588, losing
by less than 5%. Meanwhile PSM Deputy Chairperson M.Saraswathy lost in
the Jelapang state seat by a huge margin. Her defeat was due to the
failed negotiation with DAP which resulted in a three cornered fight.
Comrade Saras had to use an independent logo which was confirmed only
on nomination day. It was also a message to the party that the general
sentiment was to go for a straight fight with the BN.
The party central committee would meet in two weeks time to decide on
the party's line especially in states where the opposition has won.
Meanwhile a code of ethics will also be drawn out on requirements of
the elected representatives and their role in Parliament and State
Assemblies. The general sentiment and the expectation after the
victory is that the PSM's reps would have to champion to rights of the
workers and the poor. The party would also try to establish people's
council in areas it has won to ensure total participation from the
people and to ensure the people continue to play a critical role in
ensuring their rights as well as building the working class movement.
http://www.parti-sosialis.org/?p=230#more-230
Post new comment