How can Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s upcoming Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) fight for the Malays if they’re working with anti-Malay DAP, asked Umno president Najib Abdul Razak.

Referring to the Umno splinter party as Pribumi, Najib said this partnership would clearly not benefit the Malays.

“Mahathir and (Bersatu leader) Muhyiddin Yassin had once attacked DAP as anti-Islam, anti-Malay, chauvinist.

“These words came out of their own mouths,” Najib said at the Kota Tinggi Umno division assembly in Johor today.

Mahathir and Muhyiddin had moved to form Bersatu following the latter’s sacking from Umno.

Prior to Najib attacking them for being unable to defend the Malays today, the party had been called racist by non-Malay groups, as the party limits non-Malays participation to associate membership only.

DAP has long been labelled as anti-Malay by their opponents, due in part due to their fight for a Malaysian Malaysia, and equal rights for all, which some take as an affront to Malay special rights.

Ante upped

Meanwhile, in what may be a power move in Muhyiddin’s home state of Johor, the prime minister also upped the ante on his attacks today, openly naming his former deputy and Mahathir, instead of the usual veiled jabs at them.

Besides taking shots at their new party, Najib also repeated his remarks at the Tangga Batu Umno assembly in Malacca yesterday, but this time, naming Mahathir.

This included Mahathir pressuring him to build a crooked bridge to Singapore, and also on the former premier's lengthy 22 years in office.

"I can break Mahathir's record, but I don't have any intention to do so.

"I want to be a president that's supported by the party members."

Najib was referring to his decision to amend Umno's constitution to make it easier for the presidency to be contested, by removing the requirement for challengers to receive backing from 63 divisions.