KUALA BESUT Terengganu Menteri Besar Ahmad Said has defended the practice of giving projects to cronies, saying that it is a matter of political survival.

"We must put our people first, and it's not about cronyism. It can't be that Umno people give (projects) to PAS; they get the money and come to finish us off.

"If I want a project done, need a contractor and give it to a PAS contractor, then I'm stupid. This is politics. (It is) about getting power and staying in power," Ahmad said at a press conference close to midnight last night.

He was responding to Paka assemblyperson Saiful Bahri Mamat's claim yesterday that the Kuala Besut International Tourism Gateway project would sideline villagers and the fishing community because only cronies would benefit from the project.

It is part of a RM250 million project to deepen the Sungai Besut estuary, build new breakwaters, reclaim coastal land and set up a new marina, among others.

However Ahmad denied that cronies alone would benefit from this project.

"When tourists come in large numbers, they want accommodation. They want food. They want to try Terengganu's keropok (fish crackers).

"It is the rakyat who will benefit when tourists come to stay and eat Terengganu keropok ," Ahmad said, referring to the popular local delicacy.

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