Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj from the Socialist Party of Malaysia (PSM) spoke to Green Left's Peter Boyle about the challenges for Malaysia’s new government headed by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim from the Pakatan Harapan (Alliance of Hope).
PH won more seats than the two other major election coalitions, Perikatan Nasional (PN) and Barisan Nasional (BN) but failed to obtain a simple majority. However, on November 24, Malaysia's king appointed Anwar PM to head a "government of national unity" comprising PH, BN and some smaller parties.
Jeyakumar was a well respected MP for the seat of Sungai Siput for two terms between 2008 and 2018 during the high point of the BERSIH democracy mass movement. The PSM decided not to contest the seat in the November 19 general election after Pakatan Harapan refused its request for an electoral pact to run Jeyakumar in Sungai Siput.