GE15: PSM ends electoral pact with PH after no seats given

KUALA LUMPUR: The Socialist Party of Malaysia (PSM) has called off its electoral pact with Pakatan Harapan (PH) after PSM's minimum request to contest in Sungai Siput in the upcoming 15th general election (GE15) was rejected.

PSM deputy chairman S. Arutchelvan said that the PH informed the party through an official letter dated today (Oct 30) that its request for an electoral pact had been rejected.

In the two meetings held between the party and PH, he said PSM requested its chairperson Dr Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj, a former two-term Sungai Siput MP, be allowed to stand in that parliamentary constituency.

"Without a single seat given, we understand that PH does not desire an electoral pact with PSM. We regret the matter being informed to us so late in spite of (PKR deputy president) Rafizi Ramli's statement on Friday that certain seats were allocated for PSM and the Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (MUDA)," he said in a statement today.

Arutchelvan also said PSM wanted to contest in two other alternate non-incumbent Parliament seats held by Barisan Nasional (BN) if their Sungai Siput seat request was turned down as a worst-case scenario and also requested to contest in three non-incumbent state seats held by BN.

He added that PSM will hold an emergency Central Committee meeting today as well as a National Committee meeting tomorrow to decide if the party would be contesting in GE15.

-- BERNAMA