KUALA LUMPUR, June 9 ― Local council elections would benefit smaller parties running on “people-centric” ideologies like the Socialist Party of Malaysia (PSM), an academic said today.

University of Malaya’s Azmi Sharom said he foresees the survival of PSM, despite Dr Michael Jeyakumar’s monumental loss in GE14, because they are not politically motivated but instead focusing efforts on actual groundwork.

“I wish there were more parties like PSM but they are tiny and got wiped out. Even Dr Jeyakumar’s deposit got wiped out this time,” he said at a forum here, referring to the former Sg Siput MP.

“PSM will survive because their existence is not so much on political grounds but they act more like a non-profit group focusing on actual groundwork.

“What would be helpful is when local elections are introduced, then smaller parties working on localised issues would have bigger chance, especially PSM,” he added.

PSM’s Jeyakumar won the parliamentary state seat for two terms, contesting under PKR’s logo, but lost on May 9 after Pakatan Harapan decided to field a separate candidate.

“Pakatan has won so many seats so they would likely have no more need for a collaboration with PSM, like in 2008 and 2013.

“Local elections are their best bet now. Like when you go to Sg Siput, for instance, their concerns are things like land-related affairs and if you have PSM working on the ground, they could have that success,” he said.

On May 26, Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin said that local council elections will likely be implemented within three years due to the cost factor.

The move was however opposed by Islamist coalition Ummah, who claimed that it would allow more non-Muslims into power.

Meanwhile, Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah seconded the suggestion for PSM to move forward with smaller elections, but added that a total revamp of the whole election system is needed.

“I welcome PSM because in order for Malaysia to move forward, it needs to have multiple parties,” she said.

“The election system, however, must be changed to incorporate small and big parties because we want diverse views and PSM does bring a different way of how governance can be done.

“I feel Malaysia is ready for that kind of debate but the system needs to first change,” she added.