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PSM compromises on use of Pakatan logos but...

VIDEO | 1.09 min

In the spirit of pooling efforts to kick the BN out of Putrajaya, Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) has announced a compromise - it will field its candidates under the logo of any Pakatan Rakyat party.

PSM secretary-general S Arutchelvan at bar council forum 2 Saying this at a press conference this morning, PSM secretary-general S Arutchelvan also said the party will contest the four seats it had challenged in 2008.

Should Pakatan refuse to make way in these seats, however, PSM will revert to its decision to field candidates under its own banner, he said.

The seats are Semenyih, Kota Damansara. Sungei Siput and Jelepang.

Arutchelvan said the decisions were reached at an emergency meeting of the party’s National Committee last night.

“We took into consideration the general mood of the rakyat who do not want three-corner fights in this election,” he said, noting that the compromise is “worth it, as GE13 is a very important election for everyone”.

azlan He also said the compromise reverses the committee’s decision in January, which had endorsed the plan for PSM to contest the four seats under its own logo.

The party will seek a meeting with PKR leaders by today in order to end the impasse, following a deadlock between the two parties.

A frustrated PSM had said yesterday that would discuss running for Cameron Highlands and 10 other seats where Pakatan members have requested to contest under the PSM banner.

However, Arutchelvan said last night’s meeting had rejected these requests.

“(It) goes against the PSM's election standards where candidates must have worked in an area for five years and must be endorsed by the local branch. PSM does not allow parachute candidates,” he explained.

‘Winnable candidate for Cameron Highlands’

As for Cameron Highlands, Arutchelvan said PSM feels that it has a winnable candidate.

However, it is up the DAP to decide whether or not to make way for PSM to contest there, he said.

NONE “PSM Cameron Highland branch secretary Suresh Kumar (right) has done tremendous work there and the environmental groups are also backing him,” he said.

“We call on the DAP to consider giving way to Suresh. But if it doesn't allow this, we won't push for it.”

PKR has already announced a candidate for Semenyih, while DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said yesterday that the party will field a candidate in Jelapang.

In 2008, PSM had contested Semenyih, Kota Damansara and Sungei Siput under the PKR banner.

It ran in Jelapang as an Independent, leading to a three-corner fight with DAP and BN.

PSM lost in Semenyih and Jelapang, but won in Kota Damansara and Sungei Siput where its candidate Dr Michael Jeyakumar defeated long-time incumbent and MIC president S Samy Vellu.

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