PSM president Dr Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj described Sivarajan as a high-calibre candidate with 30 years of experience.

“I guarantee Kota Damansara voters that he is a good candidate and can voice issues faced by those here.

“He is committed and knowledgeable,” he said during the candidate announcement for the Selangor state seat.

He added that having PSM representatives within the state assembly would help them raise the public’s issues better and in a more formal setting.

Meanwhile, PSM deputy chief S Arutchelcam said this was not the first time the party had contested the state seat.

“We have contested since 2004 and even won in 2008 with (PSM candidate) Nasir Hashim.

“This just shows PSM’s consistency and that we don’t run away when we lose.

“The public should give parties other than Barisan Nasional, Pakatan Harapan and Perikatan Nasional a chance in the coming state elections,” he said.

Nasir had won the Kota Damansara seat in 2008 on a PKR ticket as PSM had not been registered then.

PKR’s Shatiri Mansor won the Kota Damansara seat in the 2018 general election, defeating Sivarajan, who received 435 votes, as well as candidates from Umno and PAS.

On Friday, PSM announced that workers’ rights activist Sivaranjani Manickam will be contesting the Meru seat under its banner.

The seat was held by Amanah’s Fakhrulrazi Mokhtar for two terms. The party also announced that it would contest the Kapar state seat.

Yesterday, Muda and PSM signed an agreement to cooperate in the coming state polls, promising not to contest the same seats.

Muda president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman described the agreement as a historic point for both parties, stating that both parties had many similarities in terms of grassroots support.

Muda has so far revealed that it would contest four state seats in Selangor – Batu Tiga, Sentosa and Bukit Antarabangsa, which were held by PKR, and Seri Serdang, which was held by Amanah.