THE CAMPAIGN TO REGISTER PSM AS A POLITICAL PARTY NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT!

Parti Sosialis Malaysia or PSM put in registration for a political party on 30th. April 1998. Now, we are in 2008 yet PSM is still denied registration. Why?

9 months after the party submitted it�s application, ROS send a letter rejecting PSM�s application without any reason. Immediately, an appeal was made to the Home Ministry. On 23rd September 1999, PSM received a reply stating the appeal to the Minister had been rejected and this is the final decision. On 26 Oct 1999, PSM made history for being the first party to take the Home Ministry to Court for not registering a political party. Only then, the government revealed their reason to reject PSM as a political party, among them citing that the party is a threat to National Security. On 13 January 2003, High Court Justice Datuk Abdul Hamid Said upheld the government�s decision by rejecting PSM�s application with cost stating that it is not the role of the Court to scrutinize the Government on issues of national security.

The Party did not give up. A memorandum seeking registration of PSM was given to Azmi Khalid, the Minister of Home Ministry in March 2005 with support from 36 organizations. Then Party made application to the Appeals� Court on 7 Feb 2003. It was a long waiting process to get a trial date, so the Party organized a demonstration in front of the Palace of Justice and within ten days secured a date.

On 16 August 2006, Judge Gopal Sri Ram states in his verdict that the Court rejects PSM�s application with cost but he demolished the argument that PSM is a threat to national security. But the Appeal Court in a bizarre judgment said that PSM has a registration in the state of Selangor and could stand for election in any other state and therefore it is wrong to say that its fundamental rights has been violated. On 5t September 2006, PSM confirmed with ROS Selangor that there is NO Registration for PSM in the state of Selangor.

PSM strived on and submit memorandum to Human Rights Commission, SUHAKAM. On 23 April 2007, PSM application for leave was allowed and the case is to be heard on 16 Jun 2008.

Ultimately, the question is why the government of Malaysia is denying the Party�s fundamental right to be registered as declared in Article 10 of our own Federal Constitution. The decision to disallow PSM to be registered is a fundamental violation to our democratic rights. It is gross human rights violation as it contravenes Article 2 and 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Dear Comrades,

Having said that, now the Party moving on to fight for the registration of PSM by intensifying pressure to register PSM as a political party. We want your support for a nationwide faxing campaign planned on the 15/05/2008 & 16/05/2008.

PSM is urging all NGOs, community organizations and concerned citizens to fax your support letters to the Home Minister’s Office to register PSM. Fax in as many protest letters as you can, if possible please get each member of your organization to fax in the support letter to the Home Minister’s Office. A sample letter has been included for your reference.

Details of the campaign:

Date: 15 and 16 May 2008
Time: 8am-5pm

We in PSM hope that you will give full support for this campaign. Let’s JOIN FORCES TO ensure that the freedom of association declared in the Constitution is upheld.

If you have further inquiries please call Selvam at 019-3369044. Please mail us a copy of your protest letter to psmhq@tm.net.my

Download the protest letter here: fax_campaign-psm-final.doc

Thank you

S.Arutchelvan
Secretary General
Parti Sosialis Malaysia