COMMENT | “I went into politics to bring a different political culture and I see it as a long-term fight. I will continue doing what I’ve been doing here (even if I lose).”
– Sungai Siput MP Dr D Michael Jeyakumar

Truth is, I am from the school that thinks politicians should only be given two terms to either prove that they can actually make a difference, or (this is more likely) offer crappy solutions to problems that they invent. That is politics and democracy in a nutshell, but it is the best option we have.

Having said that, the reality that Parti Sosialis Malaysia’s Dr D Michael Jeyakumar may lose his place among the people chosen to represent the interests of the ordinary rakyat after two terms proves that sometimes, there are exceptions to the rule.

The DAP hopeful that he is up against – not counting the other hopefuls – is A Sivanesan, who the good doctor had sued for defamation for “casting doubt on the former’s asset declaration exercise and claiming that the PSM lawmaker had hidden some of his assets”. Losing to this particular candidate would bruise the ego of the average Malaysian but not to someone like Jeyakumar.

Sivanesan is upbeat because he understands that racial politics means that the Rocket candidate will score in the demographic that counts, and for the marginalised Indian demographic, it means shutting up and being thankful you are allowed a place on the table.

Just to recap my position on PSM and the knowledge that my pieces on PSM will not make a difference – “However, I know nothing I say will change minds. While I do not agree with the ideological foundations of PSM, there is nothing in their manifesto that puts them at odds with the opposition. Even their stand on religion is clear and unequivocal, which probably means that there could be an issue with Muslims in Pakatan who do not seem to have any trouble getting support from the so-called secular types in the opposition.”

DAP political operatives knowing of my support of the grassroots movements like PSM tell me that the latter started this fight first by daring to contest in “traditional” DAP seats. This is somewhat funny, of course, because it means that just because a political party has marked a territory, no other political party can contest there, especially so-called political allies. It is a fair enough argument to make. PSM is picking a fight with another political hegemon relying on a specific racial demographic to achieve electoral victory. 1

In many articles, I have made the case as to why a grassroots-level outfit like PSM would be an asset not only to the oppositional forces in this country, but specifically to DAP. PSM could be the conduit to the marginalised Malay underclass, and the brewing class dialectic in the greater Malay polity. Relying on the religiosity of Amanah and the old school racial demagoguery of Bersatu is not going to create the environment that sustains the kind of change the opposition claims it wants for Malaysia.

In the short term, nurturing a vanguard left-wing party like PSM by giving them the seats they require could prove beneficial in the long term, when the racial and religious stratagems of the establishment take an even darker turn. I mean, if Azmin Ali can babble on about helping Amanah and Bersatu, like how they were “helped out” in the beginning, why not nurture a party that has demonstrated a commitment to the disenfranchised communities like PSM, instead of demonising them?

No offence to Bersatu Youth leader Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, but I would rather pay attention to Kelantan PSM chief Khairul Nizam Abd Ghani (photo), who clearly explains why PSM wants to be part of the democratic process here in Malaysia. You can read his reason here and here on why I think a wannabe politician like Syed Saddiq and an activist like Jamal Yunos are rough trades in nice suits.

DAP is struggling with diversity issues. How effective do you think it would be to the demographic that oppositional types claim need to rethink their Weltanschauung if influenced by people like Syed Saddiq or Khairul Nizam? Now, you may not agree with what the Kelantan PSM chief says, but when you are in bed with politicians who not long ago you claimed were destroying this country, a little socialist action – which apparently is in your DNA – should not prove too much of a hurdle.

I get it, I really do. DAP is big party. It controls a state, and has great influence within the opposition coalition. It has to fight with one hand tied behind its back because to demonstrate leadership of any kind would offend the sensibilities of the “ketuanan” types within the opposition fold, and provide more fodder for the Umno hegemon.

DAP has evolved over the years from status quo agitators to a sleek alternative to Barisan National, offering the same kind of alliance formula – minus the kleptocracy, of course. Criticisms against the party are met with straw men, ad hominems and finally, racial slurs.

DAP could and may win every seat they contest in. They may very well be the last man standing in the opposition when the general election dust clears. They may achieve an individual electoral victory not seen before in the political landscape of this country. But this will not save Malaysia.

Indeed, it would be a gift to Umno if DAP was the only oppositional force standing against them when the dust clears. Sure, there could be upsets and Bersatu and Amanah and the parties in Sabah and Sarawak could turn the tide against Umno, but this seems unlikely. With the opposition in disarray, the best outcome would be maintaining the status quo.

If maintaining the status quo is the best we can hope for, then stacking the political deck for future political gambles would be advisable. Encouraging PSM to work the grassroots and providing the machinery that would enable them to galvanise the disenfranchised from all communities would be a better option than sticking to old formulas.

Ultimately, all this does really matter. PSM will continue doing the work before them. People may eventually gravitate to them, because the only other option would be religious extremism.

But by then it would be too late for PSM, and more importantly, for Malaysia.

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S THAYAPARAN is Commander (Rtd) of the Royal Malaysian Navy.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.