Ayer Kuning defeat shows PSM's struggle in identity-driven Malaysia - Expert

SHAH ALAM - Despite Parti Sosialis Malaysia's (PSM) focus on grassroots activism and people-centric policies, their performance in the Ayer Kuning by-election highlights the persistent challenges third parties face in Malaysia's identity-driven political landscape.

Political analyst Ibrahim Suffian stated that while PSM has been active for many years, its reach among working-class communities remains limited, particularly in areas like Tapah, where plantation workers form a significant voter base.

PSM also faces an uphill battle against the perceived stigma of socialist values. - Bernama photo

PSM also faces an uphill battle against the perceived stigma of socialist values.

"Although it has been around for a long while, PSM’s footprint in the grassroots has been somewhat limited among the working classes.

"In Tapah, these include plantation sector workers.

"At the same time, it suffers from the stigma among Malay voters who cannot accept the 'socialist' label," said Ibrahim.

This enduring stigma has prevented the party from gaining traction, especially among the Malay electorate, hindering its ability to expand beyond niche support.

In semi-rural areas like Ayer Kuning, party loyalty, political branding and historical affiliations often outweigh policy-driven considerations in voting patterns.

Despite PSM's people-first policies, smaller parties struggle to compete for voter attention.

This requires significant investment in field activities across diverse local populations and sustained publicity campaigns years before elections to achieve recognition.

Ibrahim suggested that Malaysian voters are less influenced by ideological debates, such as left versus right and more firmly aligned along lines of identity, particularly race and religion.

"Malaysian voters tend to vote for familiar parties and don’t really subscribe to the left vs right ideological dimensions that are prevalent in the west.

"In Malaysia, the usual axis of political affiliation remains affixed on identity (race and religion).

"Most parties, such as BN and PN, display varying degrees of appeals to identity politics and both generally push out populist economic messages and policies. This makes it hard for PSM to find space for its messages," he said.

The dominance of identity-based politics continues to overshadow policy-driven platforms, leaving limited room for parties that do not engage in similar strategies.

Looking ahead, Ibrahim believes it will be difficult for PSM to significantly shift Malaysia's political landscape under current conditions.

"It’s hard to imagine a future when the political discourse in the country in the near future remains wedded to identity politics and the degree to which religion plays a role in public policy.

"Most parties here also advance populist agendas and PSM is not differentiated enough to provide a strong argument," he said.

He suggested that PSM could have a more meaningful impact by shifting its focus.

"It should continue to act as a pressure group to expand democratic space such as introducing local elections where it can capitalise on its local strengths," he added.

BN retained the Ayer Kuning state seat in Perak, with its candidate Yusri Bakir winning the by-election with a significantly larger majority. - Graphics designed by NURAIN SOFIA/SINAR DAILY

BN retained the Ayer Kuning state seat in Perak, with its candidate Yusri Bakir winning the by-election with a significantly larger majority.

Yusri secured 11,065 votes, defeating PN’s Abdul Muhaimin Malek of Pas, who obtained 6,059 votes and Parti Sosialis Malaysia’s (PSM) K S Bawani, who received 1,106 votes.