PSM proposes 1-day strike in Perak
Humayun KhabeerPublished: May 30, 2009 7:21 AM | Updated: May 30, 2009 1:31 PM
Parti Socialist Malaysia (PSM) is proposing a state-wide one-day hartal (strike) in Perak to call for the state assembly to be dissolved and fresh state elections to be held.
Parti Socialist Malaysia (PSM) is proposing a state-wide one-day hartal (strike) in Perak to call for the state assembly to be dissolved and fresh state elections to be held.
This is the top resolution that will debated by the 300 PSM delegates tomorrow at the national three-day party meet that ends tomorrow.
"There is no point going to the courts for decisions on the political crisis in Perak, which can only be resolved by the people," said party secretary-general S Arutchelvan (right).
"So, we let the people decide on their political future of their state by calling for the one-day state level strike whereby we hope all ‘Perakians' to participate to make it a complete success."
No work, no school
With the proposed strike, PSM anticipated that ‘Perakians' would not go to work, children would not attend schools and business centres would remain closed and all would stay at home, paralysing the whole state for one day.
"The message is to tell the state government that they cannot cling onto illegal power without the support of the people and fresh elections must be called to decide on the people's mandate," added Arutchelvan.
"Once the resolution is passed by the party delegates tomorrow, the party will campaign at the ground level and seek the support of trade unions, workers from factories and estates, farmers, squatters and Pakatan Rakyat coalition parties to make the move a success."
However, PSM's strike call would face the odds against a successful execution, given that it is dependent on the cooperation from ‘Perakians', who might prefer to carry on with their daily lives and prefer not to get involved for fear of police suppression.
"We have faith in the people's power in overriding police's suppressive powers," he said.
Other resolutions that will be also be tabled and debated at tomorrow's meet are:
On Chin Peng, Arutchelvan argued that it was the Malayan Communist Party (MCP) who had fought both against the might of the Japanese army during their invasion of Peninsular Malaya and the British occupation of Malaya.
He claimed that it was the MCP effort that had hastened the independence of Malaya from the British rule.
"When Maharaja Lela and other Malay warriors who stood against the might of the British rule, were acknowledged as heroes of Malaysia, why cannot the same treatment be given to Chin Peng for his past contributions?" he asked.
The VIPs who attended the three-day PSM meet were, Dr Poh Soo Kai of Socialist Front of Singapore who was detained for 17 years by the Singapore government, Sungai Siput MP Dr Jeyakumar and PSM chairman Dr Nasir Hashim who is also Kota Damansara assemblyperson.
This is the top resolution that will debated by the 300 PSM delegates tomorrow at the national three-day party meet that ends tomorrow.
"There is no point going to the courts for decisions on the political crisis in Perak, which can only be resolved by the people," said party secretary-general S Arutchelvan (right)."So, we let the people decide on their political future of their state by calling for the one-day state level strike whereby we hope all ‘Perakians' to participate to make it a complete success."
No work, no school
With the proposed strike, PSM anticipated that ‘Perakians' would not go to work, children would not attend schools and business centres would remain closed and all would stay at home, paralysing the whole state for one day.
"The message is to tell the state government that they cannot cling onto illegal power without the support of the people and fresh elections must be called to decide on the people's mandate," added Arutchelvan.
"Once the resolution is passed by the party delegates tomorrow, the party will campaign at the ground level and seek the support of trade unions, workers from factories and estates, farmers, squatters and Pakatan Rakyat coalition parties to make the move a success."
However, PSM's strike call would face the odds against a successful execution, given that it is dependent on the cooperation from ‘Perakians', who might prefer to carry on with their daily lives and prefer not to get involved for fear of police suppression.
"We have faith in the people's power in overriding police's suppressive powers," he said.
Other resolutions that will be also be tabled and debated at tomorrow's meet are:
- Calling the government to repeal the Internal Security Ac;.
- Malaysia should not restart the Free Trade Agreement with USA as Malaysia stands to be on the disadvantage (talks were stalled when the president-elect Barrack Obama rode into power);
- PSM to go on nationwide campaign to force the government to make it compulsory for retrenched workers to get retrenchment benefits especially during this economic crisis;
- Urging the government to change its stand on the return of former communist leader Chin Peng to Malaysia.
On Chin Peng, Arutchelvan argued that it was the Malayan Communist Party (MCP) who had fought both against the might of the Japanese army during their invasion of Peninsular Malaya and the British occupation of Malaya.
He claimed that it was the MCP effort that had hastened the independence of Malaya from the British rule.
"When Maharaja Lela and other Malay warriors who stood against the might of the British rule, were acknowledged as heroes of Malaysia, why cannot the same treatment be given to Chin Peng for his past contributions?" he asked.
The VIPs who attended the three-day PSM meet were, Dr Poh Soo Kai of Socialist Front of Singapore who was detained for 17 years by the Singapore government, Sungai Siput MP Dr Jeyakumar and PSM chairman Dr Nasir Hashim who is also Kota Damansara assemblyperson.
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