Thursday, November 17, 2011

Left-wing parties hoping to soar(Star, 17/11/2011)

 Thursday November 17, 2011(Star)

Left-wing parties hoping to soar

Analysis
By Baradan Kuppusamy


Left-wing parties are making a comeback in a political environment dominated by both race-based and multi-racial parties all pushing the same democratic centralism political ideology.

PARTI Rakyat Malaysia, a small but tradition-rich party, is causing some consternation among top PKR leaders with its announcement this week that it will contest in three parliamentary constituencies held by PKR.

Its newly elected president Dr Rohana Ariffin said that the party, founded in 1955 by Ahmad Boestaman upon his release from ISA, would contest in the Balik Pulau, Selayang and Petaling Jaya Selatan constituencies in the forthcoming general election.

In an interview, she said PRM was against three-cornered fights but hoped to hold discussions with Pakatan Rakyat leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and find an amicable solution.

“We are keen to contest in the three seats,” she told The Star, adding that Balik Pulau in Penang was a traditional PRM seat while Selayang was also a former seat with hardcore members and Petaling Jaya was where the party's headquarters was located.

“We have many supporters in the three constituencies,” she said. “We are only asking for three seats out of 222 in the country.”

Dr Rohana said if an Opposition government were to be elected in the next general election, their participation would be crucial because they would offer alternative views from within.

“Diversity should be promoted and encouraged and many contrasting views make up a good government unlike with Barisan Nasional where Umno's views dominate,” said the academician.

All well and good but PKR is in no mood to concede three of the best constituencies now held by party veterans just because PRM is asking for it, tradition-rich party or not.

The Selayang constituency is held by PKR treasurer William Leong, who did well in 2008 defeating his opponents in a three-cornered fight, including a PRM candidate Koh Su Yong, who polled about 2% of the votes.

Koh had stood in 2004 under a PKR banner and polled over 17,000 votes, losing nevertheless. His 2008 performance was lacklustre under PRM, a measure of what the right party can do for a candidate.

Although PRM has traditionally contested in Balik Pulau and never won, it believes it has a better chance now.

Currently, it is held by PKR newcomer Yusmadi Yusuf, who is very active in Balik Pulau as well as in Penang and in Parliament.

Petaling Jaya Selatan, on the other hand is held by Hee Loy Sian, who keeps a low profile.

PRM is hallowed in the left-wing history of the country, having been founded by Ahmad Boestaman and brought together all the Malay left in various organisations like KMM, API and other small groups.

The party was a member of the Socialist Front and contested in various municipal councils and in general election in the 1960s but the winning results were mixed.

It had to watch out for the Special Branch on one hand and convince the people to win elections on the other, making for difficult choices.

PRM survived the 1970s under Kassim Ahmad and after him, Datuk Kampu Radjoo, and finally came under the control of Dr Syed Husin Ali in the 1980s.

In 2003, he dissolved PRM and led its members into PKR but a small faction opposed the move and carried on under the PRM banner, which had a cow's head as the party symbol.

The breakaway faction was recognised by the Registrar of Societies and in the election for PRM office bearers held in Petaling Jaya last week, Dr Rohana, the acting president since 2010, was elected PRM president.

Another small, left-wing party, the Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM), is also having trouble with Pakatan Rakyat, especially DAP, over seat allocation.

In 2008, it contested under the PKR banner in three seats and won one with its president Dr Nasir Hashim in Kota Damansara and Dr D. Jeyakumar in Sungei Siput Parliamentary seat but secretary-general S. Arutchelvam lost in the Semenyih state seat in Selangor.

The tussle with the DAP in 2008 was for the Jalong seat in Perak which the PSM wanted to contest because of years of grassroots work there.

In the end, they contested as an independent after negotiation with the DAP broke down. In the three-cornered fight that followed, PSM lost to DAP's Hew Yit Fong who, a year later, defected to Barisan Nasional together with two PKR assemblymen, giving away the state.

In retrospect, left-wing parties are making a comeback in a political environment dominated by both race-based and multi-racial parties all pushing the same democratic centralism political ideology.

They have no socialist trappings to speak off and only want to run a better government with the same foreign investment and development strategies.

The left parties are making a comeback in a big way overseas but without the violent themes of the past.
Their ideologies and policies would provide a fresh alternative to the dominant political parties on both sides of the divide here.

Both Barisan Nasional, that is trying to win hearts and minds with its many 1Malaysia reforms, and Pakatan Rakyat - with its “me-rakyatkan” economy initiatives in Selangor - could well use another party with a socialist bend to speak for and champion the people.

The left-wing parties have important things to contribute to the debate on national issues like privatisation of healthcare, food security and even on the government service tax.

Their re-emergence on the political scene should be welcomed and encouraged as these left parties have dedicated leadership who will go the extra mile for the people.- Star, 17/11/2011, Left-wing parties hoping to soar

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

PRM Welcomes Offer from Anwar, Yusmadi to Work Together with PKR

PRM Welcomes Offer from Anwar, Yusmadi to Work Together with PKR
by Haider Yutim   
PETALING JAYA, 16 NOVEMBER, 2011: Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) Dr Rohana Ariffin today welcomed the warm gesture made by both Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) leaders Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Balik Pulau member of parliament Yusmadi Yusoff in willing to work togther with PRM.
 
"PRM has been in the Opposition for a long time and will continue be in the Opposition.

"And we do want to work together with Pakatan Rakyat and PKR, although not join them.. nevertheless will work closely with them," said Rohana when contacted by
Malaysian Digest.

Rohana described Yusmadi's statement as a good response from the Opposition, pointing that PRM will continue to work with the Opposition until the next general election.


She also took the opportinity to thank PKR especially Yusmadi for opening the door for PRM, as the party has always wanted to work with the Opposiion.


Yesterday, Yusmadi welcomed PRM' intention to contest its candidates in Balik Pulau for the next General Election (GE).


However, he said for the benefit of the voters in Balik Pulau constituency, he invited PRM to work with PKR in facing Barisan Nasional (BN).

He said, as the PRM has the same agenda with PKR which is to defeat the BN, he suggested for Dr Rohana to discuss over this issue in order to benefit Balik Pulau voters.
 
 

"PRM Among First Political Parties to Reject ISA, Emergency Ordinance"

"PRM Among First Political Parties to Reject ISA, Emergency Ordinance"
by Haider Yutim   
PETALING JAYA, 11, NOVEMBER 2011: To say that Parti Rakyat Malaysia's (PRM) members consist of socialists who do not believe in God is totally untrue, said its president Dr Rohana Ariffin.
 
PRM celebrated its 56th anniversary since its formation in 11 November 1954, being one of the oldest political party in Malaysia, which had contributed to the nation's political growth including becoming the first political party to reject the ISA and Emergency Ordinance.

"Many leaders and members of PRM were detained for years in Kamunting, Taiping under the ISA (Internal Security Act)," said Rohana in a speech at the party's headquarters today.


Rohana said the rulers have been endlessly oppressing and breaking the spirit of PRM by portraying that PRM is joined by people who do not believe in God,".


"This is an image that they had damaged which is difficult to get rid of until today despite PSM (Parti Sosialis Malaysia) have been gaining lots of support... but I feel that the word 'socialist' has lost its stigma," said Rohana.


She refuted the accusations, saying that PRM's struggle has always been in tune with the demands of every religion that exists in the world which is to fight for justice and freedom for all.


Rohana said the purpose and ambition of PRM since it formation has always been to defend the rights, interests and the  sovereignty of the people regardless of race, religion or class under a peaceful, united, prosperous and democratic government.


She added that even though the political environment has changed throughout the times, PRM would still remain with its multiracial way and fight for justice for every oppressed rakyat.


Besides that, Rohana said the party now would focus more on the youths by providing motivation, drive and training towards these group.


"Our aim is to give education to our young supporters and also the young members, and lots of our programs involve training," she said.


Rohana also announced the party's website which is
www.partirakyat.com in which she hopes to reach out more to the people through the website as well as the party's Facebook page which was created two to three months ago.

The celebration was closed by a cake cutting ceremony by Rohana herself and poem recital by an 18-year-old youth named Seth entitled, 'Parti Rakyat Malaysia'.


Meanwhile, Rohana when met by Malaysian Digest said since after the court case the party had elected new leadership in order to mobilize.


She said in order to mobilize, it takes a  lot of challenge for example to get people to accept the party as there are some political who refuse to admit that PRM exists, and some NGOs don't invite them.


"But within a year many have invited us like MCLM, Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia, Bersih.


"So we find that now our name is being known more in Malaysia and also we realized that if the central committee (JKP) works hard enough, we will be known once more as a party who really wants to fight for the common people," said Rohana.


Jayanath Appudurai from Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia said although it will take some time due to the re-grouping, but he feels that the party has the support of the rakyat and said that a non-ethnic party is the way to go for Malaysia as we are too overshadowed by all ethnicity and religion that people are being held back.


"Basically it is good but there's still a lot of hard work that needs to be done to recapture the old flames and passion," said Jayanath when asked about the future of PRM.


He also suggested that PRM documents its struggles since 1955 in a proper publication because a lot of people have forgotten about it and history books have failed to capture it, and this is the way how the ordinary would know the great people like Boestamam who struggled for a better Malaysia.
 
 

On PRM's intention to contest, Anwar said they will discuss the matter with PRM

Anwar Wants Constitution Amended Fast to Allow Use of Indelible Ink
by Haider Yutim   
KUALA LUMPUR, 15 NOVEMBER, 2011: The Pakatan Rakyat leadership council today agreed to support the amendment of the Federal Constitution for the usage of indelible during the next General Election.

Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said in 2008, the Attorney-General (AG) Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail claimed that in order to use indelible ink in the voting system an amendment must be made on the Federal Constitution.

He said generally all other law practitioners do not agree with Abdul Gani's view.

Nevertheless, he said Abdul Gani’s claim was intended as a trick by the AG to delay this process.

Meanwhile, the Pakatan leadership council said they are ready to accept Abdul Gani’s claim as long as the necessary amendment is done immediately.

"We suggest that the Attorney-General prepare an immediate draft to amend the said provisions... on condition that it would be tabled in Parliament immediately during this session so that it would not be a trick or excuse to delay or foil the plans of using indelible ink.

"The Pakatan council through the leaderships of PAS, DAP and Keadilan, agree to support this amendment should it requires a two-thirds majority," said Anwar during a press conference after Pakatan's leadership council meeting in Parliament today.

Anwar also urged that the committee and the government to take immediate steps to not delay the motion because if it is done next year, it would not bring any effect or meaning.

Meanwhile, commenting on the intention of Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) to contest in three parliamentary seats, Anwar said they will discuss the matter with PRM if the party is willing to talk over it.

"Yes, relevant parties... not necessarily me," said Anwar when asked on whether he will be the one to negotiate with PRM.


During its 56th Birthday Celebration PRM President Dr Rohana Ariffin announced that her party will be contesting for parliamentary seats in Balik Pulau in Penang, Selayang and Petaling Jaya Selantan in Selangor. She said the list of its candidates for these three constituencies will be announced in the near future.


The Pakatan council meeting also discussed about electoral roll, voting and the usage indelible ink.

 

- mD - Malaysian Digest, 15/11/2011, Anwar Wants Constitution Amended Fast to Allow Use of Indelible Ink

PKR MP Wants to Team Up with PRM to Fend Off BN from Balik Pulau

PKR MP Wants to Team Up with PRM to Fend Off BN from Balik Pulau
by Aidil Syukri   
KUALA LUMPUR, 15 NOVEMBER, 2011: Balik Pulau MP Yusmadi Yusoff said he welcomes Parti Rakyat Malaysia’s (PRM) the intention to contest its candidates in Balik Pulau for the next General Election (GE).
 
Speaking to reporters in a press conference in Parliament today, Yusmadi said, however, for the benefit of the voters in Balik Pulau constituency, he invited PRM to work with Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) in facing Barisan Nasional (BN).

He said, as the PRM has the same agenda with PKR which is to defeat the BN, he suggested for PRM President Dr Rohana Ariffin to discuss over this issue in order to benefit Balik Pulau voters.


“I am confident that PRM has a good faith in contesting in the GE that is to defeat BN. I welcome their intention to contest the at Balik Pulau because I know that PRM has a long history in Balik Pulau, especially Rohana who has competed in Balik Pulau on PKR ticket, but lost,” said Yusmadi.


“I suggest that since we have the same agenda that is to defeat Umno/BN in Balik Pulau, I recommend that Rohana and I to sit together to discuss further for the benefit of the voters in Balik Pulau in the coming election,” he added.


“So I am pleased to invite the leadership of the PRM to work together with me in dealing with Umno/BN,” he added.


He said he did not feel threatened at all by the PRM proposal to compete in Balik Pulau but what he is worried about is the fate of the voters in the constituency.


During its 56th Birthday Celebration PRM President Rohana announced that PRM will be contesting parliamentary seats in Balik Pulau in Penang, Selayang and Petaling Jaya Selantan in Selangor. The list of its candidates for these three constituencies will be announced in the near future.


Earlier, Dr Rohana, when contacted by
Malaysian Digest this morning, said that it is the party's democratic right to contest in the next general election.

However, she said if the opposition is not willing to negotiate then “that's their problem”.


Nevertheless, Dr Rohana hopes that the Opposition would not treat them the same as what the government had been doing which is oppressing them.


Explaining the reasons to contest in the three constituencies, she said for Balik Pulau, they have contesting there for a long time except in 2008 and felt that they should contest again.


She said the party feels that it still has many supporters in that area, so that's why they decided to contest.



-
mD - Malaysian Digest, 15/11/2011, PKR MP Wants to Team Up with PRM to Fend Off BN from Balik Pulau
 

PRM Holds 43rd National Congress

PRM Holds 43rd National Congress
  
PETALING JAYA, 13 NOVEMBER, 2011: Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) held its 43rd National Congress yesterday two days after their 56th anniversary celebration last Friday. The left-wing political party was formed on the 11 November 1955 by its founder Ahmad Boestamam.
 
The event was held at its headquarters in Petaling Jaya Selatan attended by high profile guests in the likes of PAS Deputy President Mohammad Sabu, Nibong Tebal MP Tan Tee Beng, Kelana Jaya MP Loh Gwo Burne and SAMM leader Badrul Hisham Shaharin popularly known as Chegubard.

The highlight of the Congress was went party members elected their new leadership to face new challenges especially in the upcoming General Election in which they will be actively involved.

Below are the names of the new PRM leadership :

President: Dr Rohana Ariffin

Deputy President: SK Song

Vice Presidents: G Palaniandy, Tan Chin Hong, Koh Swee Yong

Secretary General: Al Jafree Md Yusop

Treasurer: Mohd Yusuf Che Ya

During its 56th Birthday Celebration party President Rohana announced that PRM will be contesting parliamentary seats in Balik Pulau in Penang, Selayang and Petaling Jaya Selantan in Selangor. The list of candidates will be announced in the near future.
 
 
- mD - Malaysian Digest, 14/11/2011, PRM Holds 43rd National Congress
 

PRM tetap mahu rampas tiga kerusi PKR (Malaysiakini)

Tajuk berita adalah keputusan pihak media, dan boleh mengelirukan pembaca. Apa yang berlaku adalah pernyataan PRM niat mereka bertanding dalam pilihanraya akan datang menentang Barisan Nasional - dan bukan untuk menentang PKR. PRM memilih kerusi yang bakal ditandingi berasaskan sejarah kerja parti di kawasan terbabit dan sokongan, serta juga wujudnya calun sesuai untuk kawasan tersebut.


PRM tetap mahu rampas tiga kerusi PKR
Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) menegaskan mempunyai hak demokratik untuk bertanding di tiga kerusi yang kini dikuasai PKR dalam pilihan raya umum akan datang; dan sekiranya Pakatan Rakyat menolaknya, itu "masalah mereka".

leftist role in independence forum 150911 rohana ariffin"Sekiranya pembangkang tidak bersedia berunding, itu masalah mereka," kata Presiden PRM Rohana Ariffin.

Beliau berkata, pembangkang tidak seharusnya menekan "seperti yang dilakukan kerajaan".

Parti itu semalam mengumumkan akan bertanding di Balik Pulau, Selayang dan Petaling Jaya Selatan yang dipegang Yusmadi Yusof, William Leong dan Hee Loy Sian.

Sekiranya perkara itu tidak dapat diselesaikan, maka pilihan raya umum yang dijangkakan seawal tahun depan akan menyaksikan pertandingan tiga penjuru antara kedua-dua parti berkenaan dan BN. - Malaysiakini, 15/11/2011, PRM tetap mahu rampas tiga kerusi PKR

Monday, November 14, 2011

PKR bakal berdepan PRM di Balik Pulau, PJS, Selayang (Malaysiakini)

Tajuk berita adalah keputusan pihak media, dan boleh mengelirukan pembaca. Apa yang berlaku adalah pernyataan PRM niat mereka bertanding dalam pilihanraya akan datang menentang Barisan Nasional - dan bukan untuk menentang PKR. PRM memilih kerusi yang bakal ditandingi berasaskan sejarah kerja parti di kawasan terbabit dan sokongan, serta juga wujudnya calun sesuai untuk kawasan tersebut.


PKR bakal berdepan PRM di Balik Pulau, PJS, Selayang

Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) hari ini mengumumkan bahawa ia akan bertanding di tiga kerusi yang sekarang ini dipegang oleh PKR pada pilihan raya umum akan datang.

leftist role in independence forum 150911 rohana ariffinDalam satu kenyataan media, presiden PRM yang baru dilantik, Rohana Ariffin berkata, parti itu akan bertanding di Balik Pulau di Pulau Pinang dan kerusi Selayang serta Petaling Jaya Selatan di Selangor.

Ketiga-tiga kerusi itu kini dipegang oleh Yusmadi Yusof, William Leong dan Hee Loy Sian.

Melainkan PRM mampu menyelesaikan perkara itu dengan PKR, maka pilihan raya umum kali ini yang dijangkakan seawal tahun depan, akan menyaksikan sekurang-kurangnya pertandingan tiga penjuru di antara kedua-dua parti berkenaan dan BN.
parti rakyat malaysia prmAdalah difahamkan bahawa buat masa ini belum ada pertemuan di antara PRM dan PKR bagi membincangkan perkara itu tetapi PKR dijangka mengeluarkan satu kenyataan apabila biro politiknya bermesyuarat pada Rabu ini.

PRM dikatakan telah bergabung dengan dengan ahli serpihan PKR, iaitu Parti Keadilan Nasional pada tahun 2003 selepas perbincangan yang berlarutan antara kedua-dua pihak.

Beberapa pihak dalam PRM mendakwa sebilangan besar ahli-ahlinya menentang penggabungan itu dan ia masih berfungsi sebagai sebuah parti politik,dan terus diiktiraf sebagai sebuah entiti yang berasingan oleh Pendaftar Pertubuhan.

prm congress meeting 160706 hassan abdul karimWalau bagaimanapun, pemimpin PKR, termasuk mereka yang pernah menganggotai parti berhaluan kiri yang ditubuhkan oleh oleh pejuang kemerdekaan Ahmad Boestamam pada tahun 1955 itu, menegaskan bahawa PRM tidak lagi wujud.

Dakwa mereka sesetengah pemimpin, seperti bekas presiden, (kanan) dan setiausaha agung SK Song - yang merupakan antara mereka yang berkeras mempertahankan kewujudan PRM - juga telah bertanding pada pilihan raya umum 2004 di bawah tiket PKR. - Malaysiakini, 14/11/2011,
PKR bakal berdepan PRM di Balik Pulau, PJS, Selayang

Sunday, November 13, 2011

No bowing out for the seladang (Star)

PRM, the only left-wing party in the country, is looking for a resurgence in the coming general election

A DIE-HARD Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) supporter trudged up a long flight of stairs to the party headquarters on the third floor of a shoplot in Petaling Jaya.

I could literally hear the 57-year-old man’s knee creaking as he spiritedly - one step at a time - advanced towards where PRM was celebrating its 56th birthday on Friday.

On the way up, he talked about the days in the 1960s when, as a boy, he put up PRM posters during the election campaign against the “kapal layar” (the sailboat logo of the Alliance, predecessor to Barisan Nasional).

Quiet celebration: Joining Rohana in cutting the PRM anniversary cake are (from left) treasurer Teh Soon Ming, secretary-general R.N. Rajah and central working committee member Zulkarnain Abdullah at the party headquarters in Petaling Jaya last Friday.

“It was during the Vietnam War era when anti-Americanism was the rage and support for the party was at its height,” he recalled.

PRM won the parliamentary seats of Kuala Lumpur and Johor Baru in the 1959 general election.

At 11am sharp on 11.11.11, PRM president Rohana Ariffin and her comrades cut a cake with the party’s logo - the head of a seladang (the Malayan gaur), witnessed by about 50 people, including two party members who were ISA detainees.

After the party, I spoke to Rohana, a retired associate professor of Universiti Sains Malaysia.

A bit wary of attending a party with leftist leanings as it is the season to attack all things linked to Socialism, I asked the president to explain her party.        

“The socialist party - as far as we know it in Malaysia - believes in the democratic process of being elected into power and not through armed revolution,” said the 60-something who was wearing a red bandana.

“If you ask what socialist ideology is, it believes that all production of the country should be for the consumption of the rakyat first and not so much for profit.

“You can make a certain amount of profit but the rakyat’s interest comes first, especially that of the working class.”

PRM is one of Malaysia’s oldest political parties. It was founded as Parti Rakyat on Nov 11, 1955 by Ahmad Boestamam, Dr Burhanuddin Al Helmy and Ishak Mohamad.

“The party was strong in the 1960s and 1970s. But since it was the only legitimate left-wing party in the country at that time, the Government came down hard on people with socialist ideologies,” said Rohana.

“When you look at the evolution of the party, most PRM leaders (such as Boestamam, Kassim Ahmad and Syed Husin Ali) have been detained in prison.”

In 2003, PRM was thought to have been dissolved when it merged with Parti Keadilan Nasional to form Parti Keadilan Rakyat.

“At that time, the party leadership was quite ‘tired’ because society would not accept us as they saw PRM as left-wing and there was a popular movement which was Keadilan, so they decided to merge.”

However, like the seladang, PRM stubbornly refused to become extinct.

“The only problem with the merger was that we should have had a last delegates’ meeting to dissolve the party in an honourable manner,” Rohana recalled.

But in the haste to merge, the leadership “forgot” to do so.

In 2005, die-hard supporters convened a national congress and “resurrected” the party as it was never de-registered.

During the interview with Rohana, PRM supporters would quietly slip RM10 or RM50 to the party president as they bid goodbye to her.

“This is our culture,” she explained. “We are a very poor party and we rely on financial support from our members. Usually what we do is pay with our own money for an event we organise and then our members will give donations.”

It is heart-warming for Rohana to see die-hard supporters climb the steps to attend the party’s event.

“For example, there was a 70-something member who came from Sungai Tembiling (in Pahang) by boat and bus and he told me, ‘Parti Rakyat is my party and I will never change’,” Rohana related.

“And even among the young the spirit is there. Our party is rejuvenated by the young who are interested in left-wing politics.”

The young, she said, were fed up with the infighting in Parliament between the Government and the Opposition.

“There is no compromise or middle ground in any issue that the two coalitions can’t see the trees for the forest.”

The party is seeking relevance in the next election.

It is targeting to contest in seats like Selayang, Balik Pulau and Petaling Jaya Selatan.

The seladang, which can’t be put to pasture, is hoping left-wing politics will make a resurgence.- Star, 14/11/2011, No bowing out for the seladang

PRM to challenge PKR in Balik Pulau, PJS, Selayang

PRM to challenge PKR in Balik Pulau, PJS, Selayang
 

Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) has announced it would contest in three parliamentary seats currently held by PKR in the upcoming general election.

leftist role in independence forum 150911 rohana ariffin
In a statement issued today, PRM said its newly-elected president Dr Rohana Ariffin (left) had announced it would contest in Balik Pulau in Penang, and Selayang and Petaling Jaya Selatan in Selangor.

The three constituencies are represented by Yusmadi Yusof, William Leong and Hee Loy Sian, respectively.


Unless PRM can resolve the matter with PKR, therefore, there will be a three-corner fight between the two parties and BN in the next polls, which some expect to be held early next year.

It is understood that there is currently no deal between PRM and PKR. The latter is expected to issue a statement when its political bureau meets on Wednesday evening.

PRM was said to have merged with PKR precursor Parti Keadilan Nasional in 2003 after protracted discussions between leaders of the two parties.

prm congress meeting 160706 hassan abdul karim
A faction within PRM, however, claims a significant number of its members were against the merger, that it is still functioning as a political party, and is still recognised as a separate entity by the Registrar of Societies.

PKR leaders, however, including those formerly in the leadership of the leftist party founded in 1955 by independence fighter and one-time MP Ahmad Boestamam, have insisted PRM
no longer exists.

They point out that some of its leaders, such as former president Hassan Abdul Karim (
right) and secretary-general SK Song - who were among those who insisted on PRM’s continued existence - had even contested the 2004 general election under the PKR banner.

They had also attended the first merged congress of PKR in 2005 held in Ipoh and witnessed the democratic process of the election to elect committee members.

In the statement today, PRM also announced its new lineup following party elections held over the weekend at its headquarters in Petaling Jaya Selatan.

Beside Dr Rohana, the others elected to PRM's new leadership were Song (deputy president) and G Palaniandy, Tan Chin Hong, Koh Swee Yong as vice presidents.

Al Jafree Md Yusop was elected secretary general, and Mohd Yusuf Che Ya as treasurer.

Among those in attendance at the congress were PAS deputy president Mohammad Sabu, Kita's Nibong Tebal MP Tan Tee Beng, PKR's Kelana Jaya MP Loh Gwo Burne and ex-PKR youth leader Badrul Hisham Shaharin. - Malaysiakini, 14/11/2011, PRM to challenge PKR in Balik Pulau, PJS, Selayang
 

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Parti PRM, Puan Rohana Ariffin tidak berbelah bahagi menyatakan sokongan akan hadir menjayakan Perhimpunan Bersih 2.0 pada 9 Julai 2011

 
Parti PRM, Puan Rohana Ariffin tidak berbelah bahagi menyatakan sokongan akan hadir menjayakan Perhimpunan Bersih 2.0 pada 9 Julai 2011 
 YB Teresa Kok dari DAP menyelar tindakan PERKASA untuk berhimpun membantah Perhimpunan Bersih 2.0 yang termaktub dalam perlembagaan Malaysia tentang hak untuk berhimpun
YB Syed Azman dari PAS menyatakan sokongan 100% dan akan mengerahkan 100,000 ahli PAS hadir ke Perhimpunan Bersih 2.0
YB Nurul Izzah mewakili PKR menyatakan sokongan 100% terhadap Perhimpunan Bersih 2.0
Pengerusi Bersih 2.0, Datuk S Ambiga menyatakan akan meneruskan Perhimpunan Bersih 2.0 walaupun mendapat tentangan yang hebat daripada pelbagai pihak
Sebanyak 8 tuntutan dikemukakan sempena Perhimpunan Bersih 2.0
Dianggarkan lebih 2,000 orang telah hadir di majlis Perasmian Perhimpunan Bersih 2.0 
 
Saari bersama Aliza, Pak Long dan rakan-rakan dari Segamat Johor yang hadir di Majlis Perasmian menyatakan sokongan kepada Bersih 2.0
Saari bersama seorang kanak-kanak istimewa, anak kepada seorang aktivis yang hadir menyatakan sokongan