Parti Sosialis Malaysia’s (PSM) white fist emblem may not suitable if intended for use during the opposition election campaign, says Pakatan Rakyat supremo Anwar Ibrahim.

“I went to Sungai Siput last month and I see there is very confused sentiments with regard to that (PSM logo), to accept the new symbol that is perceived to be macam-macam (all sorts of things).

NONE “You know that with the current propaganda, (it is thought to be related to) communist-lah, (Che) Guevara-lah, Mao Zedong-lah.

“So I ask that this matter be discussed with PSM once more so that a good solution is found,” he said during a question and answer session in Shah Alam last night.

The opposition leader was responding to a Tamil newspaper editor’s query over whether Pakatan will accept PSM as the fourth partner in the coalition.

However, Anwar did not elaborate on this when questioned by reporters after the session.

PSM submitted its application to join the coalition last September and its secretary-general S Arutchelvan said to date, Pakatan had yet to give an answer.

In response, Anwar told reporters early this month that the Pakatan leadership council would make a decision in the nearest time.

Options kept open

PSM secretary-general S Arutchelvan at bar council forum 2 Arutchelvan ( right ) subsequently reiterated that PSM has always kept its options open to joining Pakatan, despite a decision against it being made by the party’s congress during its 2010 annual general meeting.

Anwar yesterday said that the socialist party must first clarify whether it had, at its annual general meetings, agreed to join the opposition pact.

He added that PSM also needed to “fully accept” Pakatan policies if it wished its application to be approved.

However, Anwar gave an assurance that Pakatan would try to reach a solution with PSM, stating that both parties have had a good relationship.

In the 2008 general election, before PSM was officially registered, its president Nasir Hashim and Dr Michael Jeyakumar contested and won the Kota Damansara state constituency in Selangor and Sungai Siput parliamentary constituency in Perak respectively under the PKR banner.

PSM was officially registered as a party on Aug 19, 2008, despite being a derivative of Parti Sosialis Rakyat Malaysia earlier.

PKR, there's no issue with white fist logo, declares PSM