The yet-to-be registered Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) would be hearing grouses from it's Subang branch tomorrow regarding Parti Keadilan Rakyat's candidate for the Ijok by-election.

In a statement today, the party said that the branch, which was involved in grassroots work around the Ijok area, was 'not happy' with PKR's fielding of Khalid Ibrahim .

"They are even suggesting to field a candidate to make a principled stand," said PSM in the statement.

Additionally, the statement said PSM believed that potential elected representatives must be a person who is concerned about the welfare of the working class and urban settlers.

"PSM have always taken a principled stand that opposition candidates have to be people with good principles and good track record," the party added.

Estate workers 'oppressed'

Contacted later for comments, PSM pro-tem secretary general S Arutchelvan said the Subang branch consisted of many former Kumpulan Guthrie Group Bhd employees.

"They are (claiming) that Khalid (being former Guthrie chief executive) was directly involved in the eviction of plantation workers, especially in Bukit Jelutong, neighbouring Ijok," he said.

"(The branch members) said they would have a problem campaigning for the PKR's candidate".

Arutchelvan said the meeting between party leaders and branch members tomorrow will deliberate the matter further.

"But PSM leadership is not keen to make (the by-election) a three-cornered fight, as that would impact the opposition chance of winning," said Arutchelvan.

PSM is a Peninsula Malaysia-based opposition party which has sizeable influence among estate workers and urban settlers.

Khalid will take on Barisan Nasional's MIC candidate K Parthiban on the April 28 contest. The Ijok seat fell vacant following the death of its MIC incumbent K Sivalingam on April 4.