PSM: Don't allow politicians to wear two hats
Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) is against politicians who want to have seats in both the state assembly and in Parliament.
The party says those who want to hold seats in the state assembly and Parliament, are thinking of themselves and not their constituents.
Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) is against politicians who want to have seats in both the state assembly and in Parliament.
PSM national coordinator K Kunasekaran (left) said the party will be taking up this issue with its committees in the state next month and then to Perakians, to decide if they will entertain such ‘political greed'.
It will then take this issue nationwide to create awareness among voters that it is not in their best interest to have candidates who want to wear two political hats.
Kunasekaran warns that voters will be the ultimate losers as politicians with divided responsibilities cannot work effectively for their constituents.
He blasted such politicians who as ‘greedy', having the mindset that if they lose out on one seat, they have another to fall back on.
The angry PSM leader today said that such politicians are selfish in safeguarding their own political interests at the cost of providing effective services to their voters.
Holding seats at state and federal levels also defeats the democratic principles of separation of powers where a parliamentarian debates national policy issues and international matters, and an assemblyperson debates on local state affairs, argued the law graduate.
"When both the Parliament and state assembly sittings are on at the same time, where will their loyalties lie?"
He urged such politicians to contest in only one seat in the next general election and give the others a chance to shine in the political arena.
Political greed
"Is it because of a lack of party talent or political greed that such politicians can play two roles?" he asked.
The last general election saw many politicians of different parties wearing two political hats which later became a thorny issue with voters unhappy at not getting effective services from them.
PSM also wants Pakatan politicians to first win the hearts and minds of voters by going to the ground and addressing their grievances before dreaming of taking Putrajaya.
He alleged that many state Pakatan politicians are now only armchair critics and good at issuing media statements without being in contact with the ground and ignorant of their needs.
"In the Perak political scenario, it looks like only PSM seems to go to the ground to address issues that affect our multi-racial society, especially the lower income group."
Kunasekaran also suggested that politicians contesting for seats should be screened both by the parties and voters to ensure that only candidates who truly have the people's interests at heart are elected.
"Candidates vying for seats must first sign an agreement with voters that they will not betray their political trust by jumping ship and will resign from their posts if they do so," he suggested.
