PSM deputy chairperson S Arutchelvan has hit back hard at Rafizi Ramli over the latter's statement that PKR did not enter an electoral pact on the Sungai Siput parliamentary seat because it was technically won under PKR’s banner in the last three elections.
“I prefer to say Rafizi does not know the facts but rather that he is lying. He should perhaps check with the former president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as well as current PKR president Anwar Ibrahim and former MP Tian Chua who was present during these seat negotiations.
“I understand he is responding to the massive backlash for making a poor and unpopular decision. At this time of the elections, perhaps he may need more friends than enemies,” Arutchelvan told Malaysiakini.
Pinjam logo
He said that PSM leader Dr Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj first stood in Sungai Siput in 1999.
“At the time, PSM was not yet registered and we got registered only in 2008 after the 2008 election. The term used then was ‘pinjam logo’ (borrow logo) because PSM not registered.
“In the first election, Lim Kit Siang offered Sungai Siput to PSM and we stood under the DAP logo. We lost. After that DAP had a policy that they will only pinjam logo if the candidates join the party.
“Jeyakumar declined to join DAP because he is a protem CC member of PSM,” explained Arutchelvan.
He said PSM then went into negotiations with PKR and asked for pinjam logo in four places for the 2004 election. They lost but did better than DAP candidates, who lost their deposits
“In 2008, Dr Nasir Hashim (Kota Damansara) and Jeyakumar (Sungai Siput) both won using the PKR logo while PSM was still not registered.
“There was clear correspondence on all this and people like former MP R Sivarasa do know about these arrangements and the pinjam logo.
“When PSM was finally registered in August 2008, we wrote to the speakers in the Selangor state assembly and Parliament and they changed from PKR to PSM in the Dewan listing in both houses. Teng Chang Khim was the Selangor state assembly speaker at the time,” he added.
Arutchelvan said that for the 2013 election, Anwar requested PSM to use PKR’s logo.
“We agreed and used the PKR logo but PAS, who was a Pakatan Rakyat component, stood against Nasir and he lost, BN won.
“I also stood as a PSM candidate, which was an agreement made then with Anwar.”
‘Result speaks for itself’
Rafizi today was not encouraging about PSM's prospects saying: “It’s about which party has the best chance, in terms of machinery, traction, and track record on the ground that can win the seat.
“After all, I think the result speaks for itself in the last general election when PSM entered the fray as just PSM. And I take my hat off to Michael. No one disputes him as a social worker.
“But when PSM entered an election on its own, they lost the deposit,” he told reporters during a press conference at PKR’s headquarters in Petaling Jaya today.
To that, Aruthelvan said: “Yes we stood under the PSM logo after negotiations failed and lost the deposit.
“So Rafizi, I hope you check facts and please don’t give the impression that for every issue under the sun, you have all the answers.
“Saying we lost to PKR in the last election is a fact and we acknowledge that. Similarly, please acknowledge the historical truth as well,” he said. - Mkini
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