PSM also named its Cameron Highlands secretary B Suresh as the party’s candidate.
Speaking to FMT, PSM secretary-general A Sivarajan said Suresh was the best man for the job.
“Suresh has been with PSM for more than 14 years, he started the Cameron Highlands branch and he is a local there who understands the issues the residents face,” he said.
Asked whether PSM was worried about taking on DAP in Cameron Highlands given the latter’s near victory in the last general election, Sivarajan said PSM’s real challenge would be MIC.
“It’s not a DAP stronghold even though the party has been contesting there,” he said.
“It won’t be easy but we stand a good chance because of all the ground work we’ve been doing and the people there know PSM better than they do DAP.
“Barisan Nasional and specifically MIC, however, will be more of a challenge because they’re very good at throwing money around.”
He said there were rumours of MIC transferring some of its members from other constituencies to Cameron Highlands to help it secure victory.
“There’s no documented proof but that’s what we’ve been hearing on the ground,” he said.
“With the amount of money MIC has, the party can easily do it.”
In GE13, MIC’s then president G Palanivel retained the seat for BN with 10,506 votes, beating DAP’s Manogaran Marimuthu by a mere 462-vote majority.
A candidate from Berjasa and two independents were the also-rans.
Manogaran is expected to be fielded for the seat again by DAP in GE14.
Sivarajan claimed it was a given that the Chinese in the constituency would vote for an opposition party, and there was still time to convince them to go for PSM.
“It’s a process (convincing the Chinese voters) but the biggest worry would be the hardcore BN supporters among the Malays and Indians.
“If we can win at least some of them over then it’s more than likely things will go in our favour.”
As for the Orang Asli, Sivarajan said PSM’s ground work would hopefully be enough to prove to them the party had their best interests in mind.
Previously, PSM had confirmed that it would field an Orang Asli candidate Mat Nor for the Jelai state seat in the parliamentary constituency.
Sivarajan said PSM confirmed its candidates early because they were chosen by the branches and then endorsed by the central committee.
“It’s a bottom to top decision whereas in most other parties it’s a top-down decision.”
Cameron Highlands boasts one of the largest number of Orang Asli voters in any constituency, with 20% of the total electorate.