PSM picks Maths prof for Dengkil seat

Parti Sosialis Malaysia has announced its second candidate to contest the state polls in Selangor, a mathematics professor fielded in N55 Dengkil.

PSM secretary-general Sivarajan Arumugam announced that the party's Dengkil division chief Darren Ong Chung Lee, has been chosen as a candidate to contest the seat.

At a press conference earlier today, Ong said despite Selangor's status as one of Malaysia's most prosperous state, poverty and marginalisation remains an issue for the people.

"This is a question which we must raise and address. I hope voters in Dengkil can elect the best representative to solve their problem.

"Eventhough PSM is not a large party, what is more important is that it has principles. And PSM's principle is to prioritise the downtrodden people," said the Kuching-born who has been staying in Dengkil since 2016.

Since joining the party, Ong said he was involved in many environmental issues taken up by PSM, including saving the Kuala Langat Utara Forest Reserve.

The mathematics lecturer at Xiamen University Malaysia is also the editor of PSM's English portal Thinkleft.net.

Grassroot issues

Ong said PSM has been involved in various grassroots issues in Dengkil, including housing woes, land rights for settlers and contract workers’ welfare.

"For PSM, the real power does not come from a leader or a high-level leadership, but instead, it comes from the ground among ordinary people.

"This is why I am with PSM in this struggle," he said.

'Choose PSM for principled vote.'

Meanwhile, PSM deputy chairperson S Arutchelvan claimed that voters are often left to choose between the lesser of two evils so that Ong can be their third option for a more principled choice.

"People are voting out of fear, not because they like or have faith in a candidate.

"Therefore we are offering a third choice with principles. Voters in Dengkil no longer need to settle for the lesser of two evils," he said.

There are 56 seats in the Selangor state assembly, and so far, only Muda and PSM have announced some of their candidates ahead of official nominations on July 29. - Mkini