Cheras Umno division chief Syed Ali Alhabshee has dismissed as nonsense a report that several Umno leaders want to defect to the opposition in the wake of the US Department of Justice's (DOJ) lawsuit related to 1MDB.

"The news is nonsense, it is provocation and propaganda from certain quarters in order to blind the people, particularly Umno members at the grassroots level," he wrote on his blog today.

He said it was doubtful that party leaders had initiated discussions with former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, and also denied that the 1MDB scandal had weakened Umno.

Syed Ali urged party members not to fall for the South China Morning Post's report on the matter this morning, and to have faith in their leaders.

The Hong Kong newspaper today quoted former New Straits Times political editor Firdaus Abdullah as predicting an imminent departure of several top Umno leaders to the opposition.

"They are top Umno members, cabinet members and leaders of the ruling coalition component parties," Firdaus was reported as saying.

He said Umno is "jittery to the core" after the DOJ filed lawsuits to seize billions in assets allegedly misappropriated from state investment fund 1MDB.

Mahathir had recently proposed to set up a new political party that would further the Save Malaysia agenda and remove Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

The long-running Umno veteran, who finally quit the party in February, said the move would appeal to those who may not support the existing opposition parties.

Najib has consistently denied all wrongdoings linked to 1MDB.

Following the latest US crackdown, Najib's response is that no assumptions should be made until the legal process is over.