Underdog or not, PSM will defend Sg Siput

GE14 | Sungai Siput PSM has decided to stay in the race for the Sungai Siput parliamentary seat, after initially considering pulling out.

Incumbent Sungai Siput MP Dr Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj told Malaysiakini that branch members had considered the possibility of withdrawal after it was confirmed yesterday that Pakatan Harapan would be joining the race.

The announcement has set the stage for a four-cornered contest between PSM, BN, Harapan and PAS.

Jeyakumar said his members initially felt that there was no point in defending the seat in a multi-cornered contest because they would be the underdogs, as they won the seat in 2008 and 2013 because they were part of an opposition coalition at the time.

"After discussions within the branch and between branches, the decision was to go ahead and defend the seat.

"The reason was, if we decide to stand down to the bullies, it would open PSM up to more bullying in the future," he said.

PSM has been appealing to Harapan to make way for them in Sungai Siput and, in turn, they pledged to support the coalition should they form the federal government.

However, PSM claimed that Harapan only engaged them informally and was unwilling to compromise.

Jeyakumar conceded that the chances of PSM retaining Sungai Siput for a third straight term were now very slim, because they were no longer part of the main opposition coalition.

He said DAP and PAS supporters had voted for PSM in the previous general election, and would likely vote for the Harapan or PAS candidate this time around. In 2013, PSM retained the seat with a 2,700-vote majority.

Apart from Sungai Siput, PSM has confirmed that it will field at least four more candidates for parliamentary seats, as well as 12 candidates for state seats. - Mkini