TAPAH – Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) is entering the Ayer Kuning by-election with one clear aim: to disrupt the long-standing BN-PN grip on the constituency and offer voters a credible third option after nine terms of Barisan Nasional (BN) rule and Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) divisive ethnoreligious politicking.
Despite long odds, the socialist party views this by-election as a strategic opening – one that brings maximum media attention and an opportunity to amplify its platform to voters in Ayer Kuning and across Perak.
“We believe now is the time for a third force,” said PSM candidate KS Bawani.
“No more having only two giant parties dominating our politics. PSM is offering voters a choice grounded in service, fairness, and inclusive development.”
Bawani, a 40-year-old lawyer and native of Ayer Kuning, is standing on a platform focused on balanced development, basic infrastructure upgrades, and holding local authorities accountable – issues she says have been neglected for decades.
“Healthcare is a necessity, especially for children and the elderly,” she said, noting that Ayer Kuning still lacks a proper health clinic, with only two rural clinics serving the entire constituency.
“We know building a health clinic is not easy. But we’re asking for at least one doctor in each of the rural clinics.”
Political analysts have questioned PSM’s decision to recontest a seat where it previously forfeited its deposit, but Bawani said the move is backed by years of groundwork in the area, working with working-class communities, including Orang Asli, farmers, factory workers, cleaners, and lorry drivers.
“In Ayer Kuning, we’ve done so much work. That’s why we believe we have the legitimacy to contest here,” she said.
“We don’t field parachute candidates. We only contest where we’ve built long-term relationships.”
She also said the timing of a by-election made it the right moment to make a stronger push, given the heightened media attention.
Bawani also said that this by-election is a chance to get the party’s message across more widely, not just in Ayer Kuning, but to Perak as a whole.
Going all in on TikTok, grassroots
Having secured just 586 votes in a five-way contest during the 15th general election, Bawani is taking a different approach this time: going full throttle on TikTok, night campaigns, and alliances.
She said traditional ceramah events no longer attract the same crowds, especially as many young voters now live and work outside the area in Johor, Singapore, and Kuala Lumpur.
“TikTok is extremely popular with youth. So we’re using it to livestream and update them on our daily campaign activities,” she said.
“We’re really increasing our social media outreach compared to last time,” Bawani added.
PSM is also getting help from other parties, including Muda, Urimai, and the Malaysian Advancement Party (MAP), who have mobilised their members for daily canvassing. Teams of volunteers are engaging rural voters of all ethnicities and the Orang Asli community, ensuring PSM’s messaging cuts through.
Her campaign also intensifies at night – targeting food stalls and eateries – since many working voters are unavailable during the day.
Bawani is now in a three-way race against BN’s Dr Mohamad Yusri Bakir and PN’s Abd Muhaimin Malek. With 31,897 registered voters in this semi-rural constituency – 56% Malay, 22% Chinese, 14% Indian, and 8% others – she hopes PSM’s clear and grounded messaging will resonate.
She also stressed that this by-election offers voters a relatively low-risk way to test an alternative party.
“This by-election is only for two years before GE16,” she said.
“If we don’t perform, voters can punish us in the general election. But we believe this is the time to give a party like PSM the opportunity to serve.” – April 24, 2025