SPECIAL REPORT | Sungai Siput MP Dr D Michael Jeyakumar has a long history with his chosen constituency.

It began some 40 years ago, when he volunteered at an estate school in Sungai Siput while pursuing his medical degree at Universiti Malaya.

Social work and empowering the poor has been at the core of Jeyakumar’s adult life, and even more so today as a Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) lawmaker.

For many politicians, daily life involves grandstanding, jousting with rivals through press statements and indulging in photo opportunities.

Jeyakumar’s socialist principles, on the other hand, prevent him from indulging in the more narcissistic side of politics.

“I’m an unconventional politician. I went into politics to bring a different political culture. I’m about anti-neoliberal economics,” he said.

Recently, Malaysiakini followed Jeyakumar for a day and observed the avowed anti-capitalist at work.

11am: Lim Garden, Ipoh – We meet up with Jeyakumar at his home. He is busy preparing documents and his attire. He has about 12 hours of work ahead of him....