Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) has urged voters to cast their ballots for its candidates in the next general election. However, it wants voters to back Pakatan Harapan candidates in constituencies where PSM is not contesting.

Central committee member S Arutchelvan said PSM will field its best candidates and contest in places where it has done substantial work.

“Thus, we ask voters to choose the best candidate. Candidates who have done a lot of work (where they are contesting) and not 'parachute' candidates.

“We ask voters to choose PSM where we are contesting, but in the other 97 percent of the seats, we urge voters to choose Harapan,” he told a press conference at Pasar Besar Kajang today.

"But that's if they are of good quality lah. If the (Harapan) candidate is not credible, you can choose between PAS or the other candidates,” he told a press conference at Pasar Besar Kajang today.

PSM will be contesting 20 seats in GE14, comprising five parliamentary seats and 15 state seats. This makes up less than three percent of the total number of seats up for grabs.

In the previous two general elections, PSM formed an alliance with the now-defunct Pakatan Rakyat with some of its candidates even contesting under a PKR ticket and flag.

This time around, Arutchelvan claimed that Pakatan Harapan did not reach out to PSM.

“They have not spoken to us since they started (as a coalition). If they think we are an important ally, they should talk to us,” he added.

In the press kit distributed to the media, PSM, however, stated it is “prepared for an electoral pact or cooperation in areas where the party is contesting to avoid three-cornered fights”.

Previously, Perak DAP announced it would be fielding a candidate in Sungai Siput, PSM’s sole parliament seat in response to PSM choosing to contest in several DAP-held seats. BN is also expected to contest there.

'We have done a lot of work here'

Meanwhile, Arutchelvan was announced as PSM’s candidate for the Hulu Langat parliamentary seat. In 2013, he ran for the Semenyih state seat but lost by a wide margin.

“This is PSM’s first time contesting in Hulu Langat but we think we have a good chance (to win) because we have done a lot of work here in the past at the low-cost flats and in the estates.

“Plus, we have had service centres around here for a long time, not just for the election,” he added.

Arutchelvan also introduced newcomer Nik Aziz Afiq, 23, as PSM's candidate for the Semenyih state seat.

The pair earlier went on a walkabout in the busy market and will next head to Semenyih, Kajang and Taman Sri Nanding as part of the party's GE14 campaign trail.

PAS' Che Rosli Che Mat is the two-term MP of Hulu Langat, winning the seat with a 17,267 majority over his BN opponent in the 2013 polls.

The parliament constituency, which encompasses the Semenyih, Kajang and Dusun Tua state seats, has more than 120,000 voters.