Analysts see PH-PSM electoral pact as unlikely
PSM has proposed an electoral pact with PH to allow it to contest ‘four or five’ parliamentary seats in GE15.
PETALING JAYA: Two analysts have voiced doubt that Pakatan Harapan (PH) will agree to an electoral pact with Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) for the coming general election.
Azmi Hassan of Akademi Nusantara and James Chin of the University of Tasmania’s Asia Institute told FMT it was likely that PH would see PSM’s appeal among voters as too weak to add value to such an alliance.
Azmi noted that there was already apprehension in PH about accepting Muda as an ally even though the youth party could “be seen as adding value”.
He said PSM would probably want to contest for the same seats it did in 2018.
It is understood that PSM is seeking to contest “four or five” state and parliamentary seats under the PH banner.
“I don’t think PH will give away that many seats. As seen in 2018, PSM was unable to attract votes,” he said.
PSM chairman Dr Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj had said party members realised that PSM could not win seats on its own and were pushing for an electoral pact with PH.
PH has formed a committee to hold negotiations with PSM.
In 2018, PSM failed to reach an agreement with PH for GE14, resulting in the opposition parties clashing in several contests. Jeyakumar, who was the two-term Sungai Siput MP, lost his seat to S Kesavan of PH.
Chin said PH was already under “tremendous pressure” in trying to divide the 222 parliamentary seats among the four parties in the coalition. “So, bringing in additional members is problematic.”
He said PH was still reeling from its loss in the Johor state elections and was trying to deal with Muda’s request to join the coalition.
“Even if it were to give up seats, I suspect it will give only one to PSM and it will be to Jeyakumar,” he said.
Speaking to FMT, PKR information chief Fahmi Fadzil reiterated that the PH committee would engage with PSM.
He said the party’s readiness to work with PH should be taken positively, regardless of their past relationship.
Penang DAP deputy chief P Ramasamy said PH should include PSM in its electoral front as there were no fundamental differences between the parties.
“Specific differences notwithstanding, all the parties share the common vision of a society where class inequality is reduced, racial and ethnic discrimination eliminated, and corruption and abuse of power reduced,” he said.
PETALING JAYA: Two analysts have voiced doubt that Pakatan Harapan (PH) will agree to an electoral pact with Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) for the coming general election.
Azmi Hassan of Akademi Nusantara and James Chin of the University of Tasmania’s Asia Institute told FMT it was likely that PH would see PSM’s appeal among voters as too weak to add value to such an alliance.
Azmi noted that there was already apprehension in PH about accepting Muda as an ally even though the youth party could “be seen as adding value”.
He said PSM would probably want to contest for the same seats it did in 2018.
It is understood that PSM is seeking to contest “four or five” state and parliamentary seats under the PH banner.
“I don’t think PH will give away that many seats. As seen in 2018, PSM was unable to attract votes,” he said.
PSM chairman Dr Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj had said party members realised that PSM could not win seats on its own and were pushing for an electoral pact with PH.
PH has formed a committee to hold negotiations with PSM.
In 2018, PSM failed to reach an agreement with PH for GE14, resulting in the opposition parties clashing in several contests. Jeyakumar, who was the two-term Sungai Siput MP, lost his seat to S Kesavan of PH.
Chin said PH was already under “tremendous pressure” in trying to divide the 222 parliamentary seats among the four parties in the coalition. “So, bringing in additional members is problematic.”
He said PH was still reeling from its loss in the Johor state elections and was trying to deal with Muda’s request to join the coalition.
“Even if it were to give up seats, I suspect it will give only one to PSM and it will be to Jeyakumar,” he said.
Speaking to FMT, PKR information chief Fahmi Fadzil reiterated that the PH committee would engage with PSM.
He said the party’s readiness to work with PH should be taken positively, regardless of their past relationship.
Penang DAP deputy chief P Ramasamy said PH should include PSM in its electoral front as there were no fundamental differences between the parties.
“Specific differences notwithstanding, all the parties share the common vision of a society where class inequality is reduced, racial and ethnic discrimination eliminated, and corruption and abuse of power reduced,” he said.
One or two Parliamentary seats allocated to PSM at most.
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