Instead of being toasted, the new Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) was roasted on social media yesterday.

Twitterjaya, the term used to describe the Malaysian Twittersphere, was abuzz with criticism, particularly on the party's bumiputera members only identity.

This comes after Bersatu's pro-tem president, former deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin, registered the party with the Registrar of Societies yesterday.

The party is the vehicle former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad intends to use to derail Umno and bring down Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's administration.

Muhyiddin's revelations that non-bumiputera can only be associate members sparked some unrest among those who hoped that Bersatu would be more than a manifestation of Mahathir's will or a carbon copy of Umno.

Twitter user @saladinMY rapped the party for being hypocritical: "Either you call yourself unashamedly a Malay party or a multiracial party. No such thing as Malay party using non-Malays in some positions."

Former The Malaysian Insider editor Jahabar Sadiq on his Twitter account @jsadiq, said Bersatu "sounds like B1 to me, which was the moniker that the MACC used. How ironic."

"Also tells you that PAS, PKR and Amanah can't do that job and sad realisation that racial silos can't be erased yet," he said.

Former New Straits Times editor Kalimullah Hassan also did not have flattering things to say.

Using his Twitter account @Kalimullah, he calls it the "same old bulls**t" while re-tweeting the Malaysiakini article that other races can also be associate members in Dr M's 'bumi only' party.

Twitter user Izmil Amri via his account @The_Mamu accused Bersatu of having neither vision, ideology nor a programme, except for being an anti-Najib attack dog.

"Tak ada gagasan, tak ada ideologi, tak ada program, kecuali serang Najib Razak. Etnosentrik pula. Bodoh mana nak bagi kerusi kt hangpa?" he wrote.

("No coalition, no ideology, no programme, except to attack Najib Razak. And ethnocentric, too. Which stupid person will give up their seats for you?")

'Colourful expletive'

Lawyer Puspawati Rosman poked fun at the word 'Pribumi' used in Bersatu's name, noting that there will probably be few indigenous people in the party, as it will be Malay-based.

"Wow orang Asal dah mula berpolitik dan mahu menubuhkan parti politik! Oops silap. Rupa-rupanya 'pribumi' tu Melayu," she said via her handle Twitter @pusparos.

("Wow, Orang Asal have started to join politics and have formed a political party! Opps, my mistake. 'Pribumi' (native) here refers to Malay.")

Writer Azwan Mahzan, who tweets via @wordsmanifest went further, using more colourful expletive.

"Kalau Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia ni takde ahli Majlis Tertinggi berketurunan Orang Asli, k*t* ah."

("B****cks if Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia does not have a central committee member who is of Orang Asli descent.")

‏User @AlwaysBoleh lamented that despite having a chance to start all over again, the party's founders choose to have yet a Malay-based party.

"Apa yang Bersatu? (What is Bersatu (united)?)" the netizen who remains anonymous online asked.

Similarly, writer Fazri Nuha via his Twitter handle @tenoq posted: "The irony of a party named Bersatu yet aims to split another party apart."

Fellow writer, Effi Saharuddin summed it up by making a reference to the remake of 1980s hit Ghostbusters.

"Bersatu is basically 'Ghostbusters 2016'. No one wanted it but it happened anyway," he said via his Twitter account @1Obefiend.

Rationale for Malay-based party

However, a number of users seemed to accept the need for Bersatu to be a Malay-based party as it must be attuned to wrest the Malay heartland from Umno.

Even so, they were a tad disappointed that this may be the case.

‏"A bit disappointed it's an all-Malay party, but the political reality is tough.

"At this stage, it's so desperate we would've to accept it," economist Hafiz Noor Shams said on his Twitter account @__earth.

Stevie Chan, who tweets via @YouTiup, noted: "The point of the new party is to take Malay votes away from Umno. Now a multi-racial party can't do that, can they?"