By S.Arutchelvan

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia--I prefer to say Rafizi does not know the facts rather that he is lying. He should perhaps check with Wan Azizah the former President as well current President Anwar Ibrahim and YB Tian Chua who was present during these seat negotiations. 

 
I understand he is responding to the massive backlash in making a poor unpopular decision. At this time of the elections, perhaps he may need more friends than enemies.

For the fact, PSM stood in the first election in Sungai Siput in 1999. At the time PSM was not yet registered and we got registered only in 2008 after the 2008 election. The term used then was "pinjam" (borrow) logo because PSM was not registered. 
 
In the first election, Lim Kit Siang offered Sg Siput to PSM and we stood under the DAP logo. We lost. After that DAP had a policy that it would only pinjam the logo if the candidates  joined the party. PSM Dr jeyakumar declined to join DAP because he is a protem CC member of PSM.

Therefore, In 2004, we went into negotiation with PKR and asked for a pinjam logo in 4 places. In Sungai Siput and Jalong, we stood using PKR logo while DAP also stood. 
 
PSM using PKR logo lost but came second,  DAP lost its deposit in Sungai Siput Parliament. DAP also came third in Jalong state seat in Sungai Siput as well and a PSM candidate using PKR logo came second.

In 2008, Dr. Nasir (Kota damansara) and Dr Jeyakumar(Sd Siput) both won using the PKR logo while PSM was still not registered. There was clear correspondence on all this and people like Sivarasa do know about these arrangements and the pinjam logo. 
 
When PSM was finally registered in 2008 August, we wrote to the Speakers in DUN Selangor and parliament and they changed from PKR to PSM in the Dewan listing in both houses. YB Teng Chang  Khim was the DUN Selangor speaker

In the 2013 election, Anwar Ibrahim requested PSM to use PKR logo. The negotiation took place in the presence of YB Sivarasa and Xavier Jayakumar. We agreed and used the PKR logo but PAS who was a Pakatan rakyat component stood against Dr Nasir and Dr Nasir lost, BN won.  
 
I also stood as a PSM candidate which was an agreement made then with Anwar Ibrahim. Saifuddin Nasution  is definitely aware about their arrangements.

In the last election of 2018, yes we stood under the PSM logo after negotiation failed. So Rafizi, I hope you check facts and please don’t give an impression for every issue under the sun, you have all the answers. Besides that, when PSM stood first in Sungai Siput in 2004, there was no PKR official office then.

All these are facts.  Saying we lost to PKR in the last election 2018 is a fact and we acknowledge that. Similarly. Please acknowledge the historical truth as well.

*S.Arutchelvan is the Deputy Chairperson of PSM.*