PSM and PH, an electoral pact of mutual benefit

 

From P Ramasamy

I am glad that Pakatan Harapan (PH) has agreed to have an electoral pact with Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM).

Recently, I suggested that PH should form an electoral pact with Muda and PSM in strengthening the coalition’s position against Umno/BN.

I suggested that PSM, being a socialist political party, had many things in common with parties such as DAP and PKR.

In the 2008 and 2013 general elections, Dr Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj, who is now PSM chairman, contested and won the Sungei Siput parliamentary constituency.

He was called a “giant killer” after defeating former MIC president, the late S Samy Vellu, in the 2008 general election.

In both elections, Jayakumar contested under the PKR banner.

I am not sure why there was no similar electoral pact between PH and PSM for the 2018 general election.

Maybe it was due to PSM wanting to contest under its own banner. This may not have been accepted by PH.

Minor misunderstandings and differences are common between political parties. However, these differences should not overshadow the common values that PSM, DAP and PKR share.

The struggle for good governance and the fight against corruption should be enough to unite all these political parties.

More importantly, the overriding concern in all these parties to better the lot of the poor and disadvantaged in the country can serve as a common denominator to strengthen their bond.

The many years of sustained hard work by PSM in fighting for the rights of workers and the poor would be something beneficial to the PH.

PH’s broad macro framework of alternative politics might provide the basis for the groundwork done by PSM.

The electoral pact is about having a united front. It is not about PSM joining PH as another component party. At least this is not the intention at the moment.

There might be some concern within PH about the fact that PSM has a socialist label affixed to it.

Given the history of opposition to socialism/communism in the country – that is, the revolutionary variant – PSM might have a problem of being accepted  by some quarters in PH.

However, there is no need to worry because the socialism embraced by PSM is an evolutionary one as opposed to the revolutionary one that is associated with an armed struggle.

PSM and, to some extent, DAP have long accepted the brand of socialism that focuses on parliamentary participation in the advancement of the rights of workers and other disadvantaged sections of society.

Democratic socialism is a broad concept and its adherents might emphasise some aspects and not others.

Similarly, the diluted subaltern ideology of PKR does not vary fundamentally from PSM and DAP, at least when it comes to the focus on the disadvantaged sections of society.

Ideologically, these political parties have much in common. They have the natural tendency to offer solutions for the betterment of society, the narrowing of the gap between the rich and the poor and, most importantly, to bring about better governance.

They function within the ambit of the constitutional monarchy of the country.

Therefore, an electoral pact with PSM will complement all political parties in the PH coalition.

Together, they must be focused on defeating Umno/BN in the upcoming general election. - FMT

P Ramasamy is Penang deputy chief minister II.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.