IPOH: Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) will not be taking on the Sungai Siput parliamentary seat on an independent ticket if Pakatan Harapan rejects its request to contest there, according to party president Dr Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj (pic).
He said he hoped to stand there again in the upcoming general election, but would not contest in a multi-cornered fight as it would not benefit Pakatan.
Dr Jeyakumar added that Sungai Siput had always been a “50-50” seat.
“We have been asking to contest in Sungai Siput and a few other areas for quite some time.
“If Pakatan does not let us contest there, I will step aside.
“If I don’t get to stand, I hope other PSM members can have a few seats to contest in,” he said when contacted.
Dr Jeyakumar was dubbed a “giant killer” in the 2008 general election after he defeated the then MIC president Tun S. Samy Vellu, who had served there for eight terms since 1974.
In the 2018 general election, Dr Jeyakumar lost the Sungai Siput seat to S. Kesavan of PKR.
MIC president Tan Sri SA Vigneswaran has also expressed his wish to contest in Sungai Siput in GE15.
Dr Jeyakumar said he hoped Pakatan would allow PSM to contest four to five seats.
“We would like to have the opportunity to contribute, as we have done a lot of groundwork at the grassroots level,” he said.
Dr Jeyakumar added that PSM members had been active in helping hospital and school cleaners, estate workers, squatters, lorry drivers and farmers.
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