PAS spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat today said it was the Malays in Umno and not PAS who were "stingy, lazy and power crazy".

"Those who do wrong but are protected and those who never admit their mistakes are in Umno," he said in a press statement to malaysiakini .

In view of this, he added, that it is not the Malays who have failed but Umno.

The PAS leader, who is also Kelantan Menteri Besar, was reacting to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's comment that he was disappointed for not being able to change the attitude of the Malays.

In his opening speech at the Umno annual general assembly in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, the premier lambasted the Malays calling them "lazy, complacent and ungrateful."

Nik Aziz said Mahathir's admission was true because there is a lot of proof concerning the premier's failure as the highest number of drug addicts, those left behind in education, and those who abuse their powers, are Malays.

"This is contrary to the attitude of PAS' people. Those who are religiously inclined have shown positive changes, becoming humble and hardworking," he said.

The PAS leader also criticised Umno for not having a fixed stand on issues such as wanting to introduce an English teaching medium in schools.

"Before, Umno leaders said Islamic state cannot be established in Malaysia because it is a multiethnic country, but now they declare that the country is indeed an Islamic state," he said.

Nik Aziz also expressed sympathy for the Malays, saying that when a Malay entrepreneur fails in his business venture, it is the community that is victimised in order to save the individual.

The spiritual leader also criticised Umno leaders for belittling Islam, such as calling for the Quran to be reinterpreted and ridiculing Prophet Muhammad's beard.

"All this appears to be sowing the seeds of rejection and disenchantment for the religion hence how will the Malays respect all these," he said.

Due to this attitude, Nik Aziz said he would not surprised if more Malays reject Umno in the coming election.

"The Malays choose happiness on earth and the hereafter. That is why those in Terengganu and Kelantan chose PAS although it is a poor party," he said.