While only the three vice-presidents’ posts are being contested, associate wing chief Chong Fat Full said giving non-Bumiputera members the right to vote would give them equal treatment in the party.

At a press conference at Bersatu’s headquarters here, Chong said the associate wing differed from other wings in the party as it was being supervised by Bersatu’s management committee.

The former PKR assemblyman also expects Bersatu’s top leadership to decide on the matter before the party polls on Nov 2.

The associate wing was formally established in 2021 in hopes of attracting non-Malay support. However, its members can only contest for posts within the wing.

Chong has been leading the wing since August 2022, after then Segamat MP Edmund Santhara Kumar resigned from the post.

Today, it was confirmed that Chong had defended his party post for the 2024-2027 term uncontested, while R Sri Sanjeevan was elected his vice-chief.

Sanjeevan was also from PKR.