With all due respect to the PAS spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, PSM condemns his statement likening UMNO to a socialist party because it rejects Islam . The spiritual leader should know better about socialism before making such a comment. Unfortunately Nik Aziz too has fallen into the same trap of the Barisan Nasional government to demonise socialism. The ruling government has successfully condemned socialism and labelled it as anti-religion for a long time.
Socialism does not propagate anti religion or violence. Socialism is the only ideology and economic model that challenges capitalism. The capitalist BN government realises this fact, and thus will go all out to bad mouth socialism in an attempt to shield away the genuine principles of socialism from the rakyat.
In brief, socialism stands for a classless society where there will be no oppressor and oppresed. The resources of nation should be shared with the rakyat and not controlled by a few capitalists. Socialism stresses on workers struggle so that the production wealth of the nation benefits the rakyat. Workers should be paid decent wages, and their rights be taken care of escpecially during economic crisis.
Socialism is against privatisation of public facilities such as water, electricity, health and education. The current problems with the Barisan Nasional-led neo liberal policies since the reign of Tun Mahathir has left the rakyat paying for his privatisation policies.
Enough of demonising socialism! The wise PAS spiritual leader should understand this and refrain from accusing socialism of being anti-religion if he does not understand the true principles of socialism.
A. Sivarajan
National Treasurer
Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM)