I refer to the article in Free Malaysia Today titled “PSM needs rebrand to be formidable third force, say analysts” by Minderjeet Kaur. I have the exact same question for the analysts: How do you want PSM to rebrand itself?

This call for PSM to rebrand is nothing new. It has been raised many times—even by PSM members themselves. But whenever we ask which specific part of PSM needs rebranding, we often receive vague answers or encounter significant pushback.

Take other parties, for example. PAS would need to rebrand if it wants to win in urban, non-Malay majority areas. DAP would have to rebrand if it aims to win rural or East Coast seats. In fact, every party must consider rebranding if it wants to expand beyond its traditional strongholds—UMNO, Bersatu, and others included.

Sivamurugan Pandian of USM stated that PSM’s “socialist” label is a major stumbling block because many Malaysians still associate socialism with communism. If analysts are suggesting that PSM should drop the word “socialist” from its name, it’s worth noting that PRM did exactly that in 1990 when it changed its name from PSRM. Ironically, PSRM had won seats under its original name, whereas PRM has not. The Socialist Front was once the largest opposition bloc after the 1959 election. Today, most Malaysians seem to have no issue trading with China or Vietnam—both led by communist parties—and even admire their leadership.

Should PSM change its logo? Is that what’s turning people away? MUDA recently changed its logo from white to yellow—let’s see how that impacts its performance in upcoming elections. People once said PRM’s bull-head logo was problematic, but a similar bull-head symbol helped win elections in Indonesia. The raised fist, widely used to symbolize struggle, is common among NGOs and movements globally.

Some say PSM activists should “dress better”—perhaps a reference to me. But Dr. Kumar, PSM Chairperson, dresses well, is clean-shaven, and still lost the last election. Others argue that PSM should field more professionals and technocrats. Yet in the Ayer Kuning by-election, we fielded a lawyer—and still lost our deposit.

Sivamurugan also said PSM lacks logistics, campaign machinery, and manpower to mount a strong campaign. Does this mean we should depend on corporate funding, like the larger parties do? If we accept corporate money, how do we then oppose the very sectors funding us when we fight for higher wages or public healthcare? Perhaps now analysts will understand why many of the issues championed by PSM—such as minimum wage, public healthcare, and housing—are avoided by major parties. These issues conflict with their funders’ interests.

Azmi Hassan pointed out PSM’s lack of Malay support. Does gaining that support mean abandoning class politics and focusing on single-ethnic issues instead? That might quickly gain support from one group, but it would undermine our goal of being a party for all Malaysians. Is that the kind of rebranding PSM needs—to become like the other race-based parties? Why do PAS and UMNO have a solid Malay base, but not PKR? In the last election, PH lost deposits in most East Coast seats. Should PH rebrand itself?

Should PSM abandon its grassroots work—something few other parties actually do—and focus instead on sensational issues for quick attention? Should we flood social media with hate speech to boost engagement?

Over the years, PSM has steadily increased its membership, built a genuinely multiracial base, and consistently championed policy issues such as climate change, pensions for the elderly, affordable housing, and healthcare. We see this as our rebranding—evolving from a party focused on plantation workers and urban settlers to one addressing broad national concerns.

The biggest reason PSM struggles in elections is the first-past-the-post system, which favors the two dominant coalitions. Unless the electoral system is reformed—or unless PSM joins with other parties to contest all 222 seats—it will remain an uphill battle.

The question I often ask myself is: should a left-wing party move to the right just to win votes? Or should we stand by our principles and build support over time? I know many thinking Malaysians want us to win because of our integrity and hard work. But would they still support us if we rebranded to resemble the very parties they’ve grown disillusioned with?

S. Arutchelvan
Deputy Chairperson
Parti Sosialis Malaysia