Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) divisional leadership positions are not being sold, said the party's strategist Rais Husin.

He told Malaysiakini that there are no cash requirements for any party positions, nor are anyone who are appointed, being paid.

"Absolute rubbish. Most division chiefs, if not all, actually spend their own money to set up and manage the divisions.

"This is a vain attempt by those who are hell bent in destroying Bersatu's reputation," said Rais.

He said this when asked to comment on a Sinar Harian report today, quoting an anonymous source who claimed that someone was offered the position of division chief at a price of RM250,000.

Apart from the hefty sum, the aspiring division chief would also have to set up a permanent office and pay division committee members an allowance, read the report. These offers were purportedly made through text messaging applications.

Rais said that he is a division leader himself, knew that this was not true.

"I know these allegations are naughty, defamatory and aimed at casting wrong aspersions at Bersatu," he stressed.

He said that a new political party would definitely experience teething problems but "money politics" was not one of them.

Use internal channels

On whether the Sinar Harian report signaled internal problems within Bersatu, Rais said party members should report to the relevant authorities if there were indeed misconducts.

"We have nothing to hide. PPBM celebrates diversity in opinions. It is a strength rather than weaknesses," he said.

"Bersatu has its own internal process to deal with such problems.

"But instead of raising it internally through the process, if one goes to the media, that shows the ill intent of such persons," he added.

The claims of money politics came less than a week since Bersatu was hit by a series of resignations, triggered by the departure of its founding member Kamarul Azman Habibur Rahman, who relinquished his position as a supreme council member and other posts on April 19.

Without elaborating on the internal issues which prompted his decision to quit, Kamarul Azman claimed Bersatu now practiced cronyism and caste system.

Bersatu secretary-general Shahruddin Md Salleh, who is also the party's Johor chairperson, had denied Kamarul Azman's claims and said leadership appointments were performed after consultation with all stakeholders.

Shahruddin has yet to respond to Malaysiakini's request for comments.