Former law minister Zaid Ibrahim has weighed into the "recruit" saga involving DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang and former deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

Commenting on Muhyiddin's response, Zaid claimed that the Umno number two is worried that Malays might consider him as Lim's latest recruit.

On the contrary, the former minister said he would not be perturbed by such a label.

"I am not worried if labelled Kit's recruit. I am proud," he tweeted.

"The country is rotten at (the) moment. Don't be small minded. Do what we can to save it. If we have to work with any Chinese leader, so what," he added.

Earlier, Lim denied he had described Muhyiddin as his "latest recruit" with regard to the "Save Malaysia" agenda.

The DAP leader claimed that Umno cybertroopers had misunderstood his remarks during a speech at a Chinese New Year open house in Johor.

In a sarcastic swipe, Lim said "University of Umno graduates", whether ministers, bureau chiefs or cybertroopers, should attend English lessons to avoid such mistakes in future.

The Gelang Patah lawmaker also pointed out that he does not have a monopoly over the words "Save Malaysia", adding that it is the responsibility of every patriotic Malaysian, including Umno's three million members, to safeguard the nation.

Yesterday, Muhyiddin described Lim's statement as a "personal" opinion and clarified that he was speaking about the state of Malaysian affairs on his own accord.

"I was never recruited by anyone to stand up for the truth. What I voiced out stems from my own awareness about the fate that is befalling the rakyat and nation.

"I understand deeply the rakyat's concerns about what would happen to Malaysia if several crises as a result of the prime minister's leadership persist," he added.