While BN and Pakatan Rakyat are busy with troubles of their own, a group of 'leftists' are working together to launch a new political coalition.

 
Two main movers of this new entity, which will be unveiled in January, are Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) and Parti Rakyat Malaysia, who are in discussions with several social activists and groups in Sabah and Sarawak as well.
 
The group hopes to be a third force or wave to fill the ideological gap left by the country's two giant political players (BN and Pakatan).
 
PSM secretary general S Arutchelvan ( right ) said that several prominent and experienced social activists like Dr. Kua Kia Soong, Irene Xavier and Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia's Badrul Hisham Shaharin (Chegubard) are interested in forming the coalition, which is called 'Gabungan Kiri' in Bahasa Malaysia.
 
"This new left coalition has a 10-point agenda which we plan to release on Jan 2015," Arutchelvan said in an interview with Malaysiakini in Penang.
 
"The 10 points include issues related to socialism, feminism, anti-feudalism with focus on education, health and similar national topics.
 
"We are currently discussing and working on policy papers to explain the 10 point agenda in detail," he added.
 
Arutchelvan said there are already four subcommittees, working on projects such as running ideology classes for youths, including discussions on how to highlight the left discourse in the social media.
 
"Many young people are involved in this venture," Arutchelvan quipped.

'Wants to see Ambiga contest'

 

The coalition may not kick start as an electoral pack, Arutchelvan said but certain quarters wish to see civil society leaders like former Bar Council chairperson Ambiga Sreenavesan and well-known human rights lawyer Haris Ibrahim contest for elections.
 
"This group wants people like Ambiga and Haris offer themselves for elections because the people believe in them," said Arutchelvan.
 
"Many also see PSM like another civil society or NGO movement. Others feel political parties have become too exclusive while many young people are completely fed up with the current political parties and are looking for alternatives," he said.
 
Meanwhile, PSM members will be meeting on Nov 2 in a special internal national assembly to deliberate and decide (vote), among other things, the party's working relationship with Pakatan.
 
PSM is still sore at PAS and PKR's decisions to contest in three-corner fights with PSM in Kota Damansara and Semenyih respectively in last May's polls.
 
PSM leader Mohd Nasir Hashim ( left ),who previously held the Kota Damansara state seat also lost it, leaving the party with only the Sungai Siput parliamentary seat held by Dr Dr Jeyakumar.
 
PSM also lost the Semenyih and Jelapang state seats.
 
"We felt it was a real attack on us," Arutchelvan, who contested the Semenyih seat, lamented.
 
The new political scenario post the 13th general election (GE13) in May last year including  Pakatan's tiff over the Selangor menteri besar crisis also got PSM members thinking of an  alternative coalition, Arutchelvan added.
 
"Previously, we used to negotiate with Pakatan. Some members (of PSM) now want us to contest more seats other than the previous four that we contested since 2004," he said.
 
"If you ask me how the vote will go this Nov 2, I think most people would support us to go our own way or work with new coalitions," he added.