BERSATU AGM | Bersatu vice-president Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman today termed pushbacks against delegates' demands to be given government resources to help the party retain power "stupid."

His comment came shortly after Bersatu Youth chief Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman spoke out against demands for government contracts and positions, warning that these could be graft offences.

Rashid, who received a standing ovation, said Bersatu must win "by hook or by crook."

"Looking at the situation now, we cannot defend our position as the governing party because the division chiefs are being left out.

"It is lucky that the prime minister gave me a job with a big salary so that I can support my division," said Rashid, who heads the government's election reform committee.

'By hook or by crook'

The Bersatu leader said this during his winding-up speech on the last day of the party's annual general assembly in Putrajaya today.

"But the others – we don't need to be arrogant by saying we shouldn't give them jobs, that we would be taking away the jobs of others, that we should not take this or that.

"That opinion, to me, is stupid. In the election, we must win by hook or by crook," he said.

Rashid, the former Election Commission chief, said although he did not like the idea of using government resources, it had to be done.

"All division chiefs should be given activities so that they can have the opportunity to defend their divisions," he said.

Village chiefs

In his speech, Rashid also urged the government to restore the parallel village chief systems practised by the previous BN government.

"And our people must occupy these positions," he said.

Village chiefs are traditionally appointed by the state government, but the previous BN government appointed parallel village chiefs in states not under its control.

The Pakatan Harapan administration had abolished this parallel system.

"We must fight PAS in Terengganu and Kelantan, we cannot fight them by helping them.

"All development projects should be channelled to these (parallel) committees and the division chiefs must benefit," he said as the crowd cheered him on.

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