KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 9 — A Gerakan leader proposed today fielding young, sexy and beautiful women in elections to boost the party’s chances in future polls, Malaysiakini reported.

The news portal quoted the Barisan Nasional (BN) component party’s legal and human rights bureau chief Baljit Singh as saying that the women would likely lose the first time they contest, but it would prepare them for future elections and to be Gerakan’s second liners.

"If you want (to contest) where you will 100 per cent lose, why put a candidate who is 70 years old, a Chinese man who is 70, 80 years old?

"Why not field a woman who is beautiful, sweet, energetic, sexy, and is willing to give it her all,” Baljit was quoted telling Gerakan delegates at the party’s annual general assembly.

The leader with the predominantly Chinese party reportedly said a winnable candidate is a young, "multiracial” woman.

"If you can put in young girls, ‘beliawanis’, even better. The ripple effect is there,” he was quoted saying, using the Malay word for "female youth”.

Baljit cited the 2014 Teluk Intan by-election, which DAP’s Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud, 28, narrowly lost to Gerakan president Datuk Mah Siew Keong, 55.

"I saw her as a young Malay girl, I didn’t see anything else,” Baljit was quoted saying.

Gerakan won only one federal seat in the 13th general election.

Baljit’s remarks come amid a controversy surrounding vulgar videotaped remarks of US presidential nominee Donald Trump, who was recorded in 2005 talking about hitting on a married woman and grabbing women’s crotches.