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Monday March 30, 2009

PSM is still waiting for EC’s approval


PETALING JAYA: Parti Socialis Malaysia (PSM) is concerned that if the Election Commission (EC) does not approve its party logo – a fist – it may not be able to contest in any state election.

Founding member Dr Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj said that the EC, in its letter dated Feb 13, had questioned the PSM logo because “it is morally unsuitable” and “has connotations of violence.”

“They had sent a letter to the ROS to enquire whether the symbol represents violence and they said that the Registrar of Societies (ROS) had not replied,” he said, adding that the ROS was not the issue because it had approved the whole registration in August.

“We sent a memorandum to the EC on March 19 on the matter,” he said, adding that PSM had been using the fist symbol since 1998 when the party first applied for registration.

The EC would not be independent in its decision making if it rejects the symbol, Dr Devaraj said.

“They should be consistent in their decision since Umno has a keris symbol and the tiger symbol of an independent contesting in the Bukit Selambau by-election was approved recently,” he said.

Since PSM received approval from the Home Ministry and the ROS last August, it had submitted copies of its registration certificate, party constitution, organisation chart and party logo as required by the EC in order to register as a political party for elections, he said.

He said PSM was considering legal action against the EC if the commission did not respond to its application.

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