Hilman also sought to quash rumours that PAS Youth was uneasy with those seen to be aligned with Azmin Ali, saying the former PKR deputy president had always had close ties with PAS.
“When it comes to my election (as Bersatu Youth chief), it may be true that some in the (PAS Youth) leadership are not comfortable with the way I work.
“However, the reality is that several PAS leaders have personally called to congratulate me over my election. So what does that tell you?” he was quoted as saying by Utusan Malaysia today.
The Gombak Setia assemblyman recalled how the then Perikatan Nasional Youth chief Khairil Nizam Khirudin, of PAS, had called him to offer the post of PN Youth information chief.
“So there is no issue of PAS Youth not being able to work with me. I can work with anyone for the sake of helping PN win the next general election,” he said.
Hilman received 1,888 votes to beat Bersatu Youth’s permanent chairman Akmal Zahin Zainal Zahir, who garnered 1,718 votes, to win the Bersatu Youth chief’s post.
Previously, FMT had quoted a Bersatu Youth source as saying the ability to manage ties with PAS Youth would be a key consideration for Bersatu delegates when choosing a new leader for the youth wing.
The source said PAS Youth were not “particularly fond of” Azmin’s faction in Bersatu. PAS has however denied taking sides in the Bersatu Youth elections.
Hilman, a former PKR Youth deputy chief, quit the Anwar Ibrahim-led party in 2020 following the Sheraton Move which led to the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government.
Hilman brushed off the perception of being a loyalist of Azmin’s, saying he was Bersatu president “Muhyiddin Yassin’s man” too.
He maintained that what was more important was bringing Bersatu to greater heights.
He said Bersatu needed to grow in prominence and become the dominant Malay-Muslim party, especially since it was supposed to “replace” Umno.
He acknowledged that Bersatu’s election machinery was all over the place and directionless, unlike PAS’s but maintained the party was still young, having been formed just eight years ago.
Hilman also said many Bersatu members were politically fatigued after not being part of the government. However, he paid tribute to them for staying loyal to the party and its struggle despite now being in the opposition at the federal level.