The youth and sports minister also said the party leadership wanted to imbibe a culture in ‘ New Malaysia’ where patronage politics must be stopped at all cost.

“There has already been a rather firm statement from the party’s three top leaders,” he told reporters at the Bukit Jalil National Hockey Stadium.

“This morning, there was a discussion with (PPBM president) Muhyiddin Yassin and (deputy president) Mukhriz Mahathir where they agreed (with the youth wing’s view on giving out contracts).”

At PPBM’s annual general meeting last week, Syed Saddiq warned party members against seeking business contracts and positions. He reprimanded several representatives who raised these issues.

Following this, PPBM vice-president Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman said the party must ensure government resources were given to it.

He said party leaders could not function without this in place.

Rashid drew applause from the delegates when he said that elections must be won “by hook or by crook”.

He said it was “stupid” to think that party leaders should not get help from the government.

Since then, there has been support — as well as criticism — for Syed Saddiq.

Earlier today, a high-ranking PPBM official told FMT that a “loud minority” of division leaders in the party wanted him out for what he said.

PPBM chairman and Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has also said there would be no favouritism in awarding government contracts to party members, but that Rashid’s call could be considered if it was within the law.

Syed Saddiq, who is the Muar MP, said he respected the views of division chiefs who were up in arms against his comments as it was their right to do so.

“The main reason I joined politics was to put a stop to money politics and whatever happens to me in my political career, this principle should be maintained,” he said.

“There is no point in me holding high posts and forget the original reason for my entering politics.”

He added that he would continue to fight for the future of the country.