ALIRAN

S Arulchelvan expresses dismay over how his words have been taken out of context by an English-language daily. It appears that this daily is keen to pit political parties that are allies against each other over the appointment of councillors.

‘PSM impatient over PKR snub in Selangor’? I am quite disgusted by this piece of reporting by The Star.

A reporter called me on 25 August 2010 and asked if PSM had decided anything during the Central Committee meeting on the councillor’s position.

I said we did not discuss it and that we had written a letter to Anwar and Khalid seeking further discussion. I did not say anything more on this topic. At one point, I got irritated with the journalist who kept suggesting ideas as to what I should say and I said that we don’t want to play to the tune of the media and that there were more important things facing the nation which we addressed in the CC meeting.

The journalist wanted to know what sort of things were discussed.

Then I spoke about the labour amendments and the subsidy cuts.

The journalist then asked questions to that effect.

Finally, this piece of trash (below) appeared. I don’t know if it is the work of the journalist or the editor.

I normally don’t blast the media but this is getting a bit out of hand. The other day, a Star journalist by the name of Lee asked and suggested that the PSM field a candidate against Sivarasa because he does not speak Tamil and is (purportedly) not popular among the grassroots. That is why i am getting irritated with this kind of reporting.

S Arulchelvan is secretary general of Parti Sosialis Malaysia.

Saturday August 28, 2010 (Star)

PSM impatient over PKR snub in Selangor

PETALING JAYA: Parti Sosialis Malaysia is growing impatient over the continued snub by the PKR over the loss of PSM’s sole local council seat in Selangor last month.

PSM sources said they had been waiting close to a month to get an explanation for the PKR’s alleged unilateral decision to take the Petaling Jaya City Council seat.

PSM secretary-general S. Arutchelvan, when contacted, said the party had written to PKR leaders seeking a meeting .

“We have requested to meet the Selangor Mentri Besar (Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim) and PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim,’’ he said.

Following a revamp of the 12 local councils in Selangor last month, a third of the 288 councillors were replaced.

The sole PSM representative V. Paneerselvam lost his seat to the PKR’s S. Kandiah in the reshuffle.

“We have yet to get an explanation although the mentri besar had said he would discuss the matter with us,’’ said Arutchelvan, adding that the issue was not discussed at the PSM central committee meeting here on Thursday.