Undaunted by previous unexplained rejections, Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) today launched a signature campaign to highlight its efforts to be registered as a legal political party in the country.

According to campaign postcards addressed to Home Affairs Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, PSM is demanding for the ministry to approve its application so that Malaysians can be given the right to decide the party's future.

PSM pro tem secretary-general S Arutchelvan ( photo ) said after being rejected twice once by the Registrar of Societies (ROS) and once by the Home Affairs Ministry without explanations, the party filed a court case against the ministry on the grounds that it had acted in bad faith by refusing to grant their application.

"Unfortunately, our case has been postponed at least four times. Now, the trial date has been set on Nov 13 but our grassroots supporters want us to do more," he said during a press conference in Kuala Lumpur.

PSM first applied to register as a political party in 1998 on the platform that it seeks to represent the interests of "exploited classes" such as farmers, factory workers and estate workers.