SEREMBAN: S. Tinagaran, Parti Sosialis Malaysia’s sole candidate for the Negri Sembilan polls, has publicly declared his assets and challenged contenders for the 36 seats in the Aug 1 elections to do the same.
Popularly known as Cikgu Tina, the Rahang constituency candidate has made a statutory declaration, which he would also upload to social media for public scrutiny.
“My assets include a single-storey, low-cost terrace house purchased with my wife in 2010, currently valued at RM180,000, and a 2019 Japanese car worth approximately RM25,000.
“I also have only one bank account, which has RM1,600 in savings,” he said, adding that he did not have any savings in fixed deposit or other assets.
Cikgu Tina said both he and his wife run a tuition centre and, after deducting expenses, take home about RM6,000 a month.
Of the amount, RM1,350 goes for their housing loan, car loan (RM700), monthly utility bills (RM850), expenses for their three children (RM1,000) and a contribution to his mother (RM200).
He expressed hope that the other candidates would also declare their assets for transparency purposes.
“The public should know what you own before you are elected and not after.
“This is a matter of integrity and trust,” he said.
Cikgu Tina also made a declaration to fight racism in Malaysia and stated that the party’s struggles continued to be anchored in fighting for the working class rather than be based on skin colour and ethnicity.
He also pledged to refrain from using any racial undertones in all election campaign activities that could discriminate against or incite hatred toward another race or migrant communities.
In the Aug 1 election, Cikgu Tina will be up against Pakatan Harapan’s incumbent Siau Meow Kong, Barisan Nasional’s Yap Siok Moy and Bersatu’s Tang Jay Son.
In the August 2023 state election, Siau won the seat in a straight fight against Perikatan Nasional’s Lee Boon Shian with a 6,432-vote majority.
There are 19,715 voters in the constituency.
