The brothers, committed to the party’s practice of declaring assets, will run for state seats under the Batu Gajah parliamentary constituency in Perak.
After years of raising issues over farming land in the state, the brothers have decided that this is one way they can bring about change – by voicing farming issues in the state as elected representatives.
Kwai Heng, who declared his net assets at RM3,613,000, will contest the Tronoh seat while brother Kwai Leong, who declared assets of RM30,000, will run for the Menglembu seat.
Kwai Heng and Kwai Leong came to know of PSM four years ago when they were part of a farmers group known as the Coalition to Save Perak Farmers and Breeders.
The group was fighting against eviction from their farms across Siputeh and Tronoh by the state government as these were on state land.
PSM was then helping the farmers, who had no grants, but had been farming on the land for decades.
The brothers decided to join PSM as the party had stood by them throughout their struggle.
Meanwhile, a new but familiar face contesting a seat under the PSM banner will be KS Bawani. She is standing for the Malim Nawar state seat in Perak.
Bawani, who studied law, is currently servicing her study loan of RM24,000, thus recording a negative asset of RM20,679, with a monthly income of between RM1,000 and RM2,000.
Bawani shot to fame over the 2012 “listen, listen, listen” incident where she made an argument for free education and locked horns with Suara Wanita 1Malaysia president Sharifah Zohra Jabeen at a Universiti Utara Malaysia forum.
In the coming general election, Bawani is expected to face a three-cornered fight, against MCA and DAP.
Orang Asli representative Mat Nor Ayat declared his net assets at RM2,000.
Mat currently co-owns a business that is valued at RM2,000, while he earns a monthly income of RM300.
He will be contesting the Jelai state seat under the Cameron Highlands parliamentary constituency.
Apart from these candidates, PSM heavyweights, including secretary-general and Shah Alam councillor A Sivarajan, Sungai Siput incumbent Dr Michael Jeyakumar and central working committee member and Kajang councillor S Arutchelvan also declared their assets.
Sivarajan is standing for the Kota Damansara state seat, Dr Jeyakumar will defend his Sungai Siput parliamentary seat while Arutchelvan will contest the Semenyih state seat.
Party coordinator K Kunasekaran will stand for the Batu Gajah parliamentary seat while Cameron Highlands PSM secretary Suresh Kumar will contest the Cameron Highlands parliamentary seat.
The candidates, representing four parliamentary and 12 state seats in the peninsula, received their official nomination letters from PSM president Dr Nasir Hashim after revealing their sworn declarations on their assets.
“This declaration practice is something PSM has been doing since 1999 and we hope all other parties in Malaysia will do the same.
“We had our first asset declaration at Dr Jeyakumar’s house. I remember that year we urged former MIC president S Samy Vellu to also declare his assets,” said Arutchelvan.
Other candidates include Perak PSM committee member R Rani, who will stand in Buntong and party deputy chairman M Sarasvathy, who will vie for the Jelapang state seat. Both seats are in Perak.