Harapan should consider including PSM in pact, says DAP leader

The Pakatan Harapan top leadership should consider accepting Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) as a member of the federal opposition pact, said a senior Johor DAP leader.

Skudai assemblyperson Dr Boo Cheng Hao said this was because the inclusion of PSM could help establish Harapan as a more balanced pact in terms of voter representation for the upcoming 14th general election.

“Pakatan Harapan cannot compete with Umno-dominant BN by only aiming for rural Malay support while neglecting its increasingly silent support from present bases in the urban areas and minorities like the Indian estate workers,” he said during a Harapan forum in Johor last night.

Citing PSM’s ongoing work with Indian estate workers and other blue-collar workers, Boo further argued that it should be seen as an added strength for Harapan, on top of the coalition’s efforts to engage its existing targeted supporters.

“The same way that Harapan needs the support from the rural Malays and Felda settlers, it (also) needs to gain ground on all fronts, including estate Indian workers who are a decisive minority factor in some constituencies,” he said.

According to his statement today, also present during the forum were Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) deputy president Mukhriz Mahathir, Johor PKR deputy chairperson Jimmy Puah and Johor Amanah deputy chief Zulkefle Ahmad.

As such, Boo had also called on PKR, DAP and Amanah as non-racial component parties to act as the binding force for all other ideology-based parties, and establish Harapan as a coalition that would be acceptable among more Malaysians.

While PSM in its press statement had indicated readiness to discuss with Harapan on seat negotiations for GE14, party central committee member S Arutchelvan said last Friday that there have been no formal engagements since the coalition was formed in 2015.

Harapan vice-president Mohamed Azmin Ali, meanwhile, reiterated that any discussions between the two parties to achieve a straight fight against Barisan Nasional should be seen as a positive development.

In August, Harapan chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad had said that the Indian community was not well represented in Harapan, in initiating a meeting with Persatuan Hindraf Malaysia (PHM) chief P Waythamoorthy.- Mkini