But what it lacks in financial resources, it makes up for in sincere supporters.

PSM deputy chairman S Arutchelvan expressed immense pride in these supporters who have helped the party with its election campaign without expecting anything in return.

Arutchelvan, commonly known as Arul, is contesting for the Kajang seat in Selangor.

A long-time human rights activist, his involvement with civil society allowed him to forge new friendships with individuals who would later fork out their own cash to fund his campaign for the polls.

Regular Malaysians would also volunteer to help PSM put its placards together, and hang party posters around the constituencies they are contesting in.

“The regular people that we helped in the past are those helping us now. Do you see these flags here? They were all sewn by ordinary people who didn’t ask for anything in return,” he said in an interview with FMT.

Arul will be going up against Pakatan Harapan’s David Cheong and Perikatan Nasional’s Liew Sin Kim in Kajang, a seat PKR has held since 2008.

The PSM leader believes Kajang voters should give him and his party a shot as they had a solid track record of championing the people’s cause.

“We always say that PSM has won in many things, but not elections. We won (in pushing for) the minimum wage, and an employee insurance scheme. These were issues PSM campaigned for three years straight.”

Arul hoped that PSM’s pact with Muda for the state elections would attract voters who were tired of the big coalitions dominating Malaysia’s political arena.

He called on Kajang voters who feel inclined to skip the polls to support PSM this time around.

“If you are tired of the big parties that you feel have no principles, then vote for PSM,” he said.

PSM won the Sungai Siput parliamentary seat twice in 2008 and 2013, as well as the Kajang state seat in 2008, when the party worked with the then Pakatan Rakyat coalition.

However, it failed to reach an electoral pact with PH in last year’s general election.