Dr Mahathir Mohamad betrayed his own struggle by attending the DAP national convention yesterday, said Kedah Umno Youth exco member Dr Mohd Rizal Abdul Rahman.

By attending the DAP meeting, Mohd Rizal said Mahathir was agreeing with the party's agenda - which he had opposed for decades.

"This is the first time a former Umno president has done something like this. Really disappointed that it has to be Tun M. He betrayed his own struggle," he said on Twitter, referring to Mahathir by his honorific title.

The posting was retweeted by Education Minister Mahdzir Khalid.

"You betray the Malays by agreeing to the DAP agenda. Worse, you're the one who taught us not to (do that)," Mohd Rizal said.

He said that Mahathir, who is now chairperson of Umno splinter party Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) taught Umno leaders to "fight DAP's evil chauvinist agenda".

"For 22 years (as prime minister) he opposed the chauvinist DAP. He finally sold out on his own principles by working with them," he said.

Upset over prophet remark

Separately, Pahang Umno Youth chief Mohd Shahar Abdullah also condemned Mahathir for linking Prophet Muhammad to controversies surrounding troubled state-investor 1MDB and the RM2.6 billion donation.

"In order to draw applause and cheers from the DAP members and to vilify another Muslim leader, prime minister Najib Abdul Razak, Tun M was willing to use the Prophet - the man chosen to receive Allah’s revelations - as a joke.

"That is the scenario which we will see if Tun M and his allies took over the country’s leadership, where Islam and Muslim leaders will be used as fodders for their jokes and entertainment," he claimed.

Mahathir had made the remarks during a press conference held on the sidelines of the convention, in an apparent response to prime minister Najib Abdul Razak who in his opening speech at Umno’s general assembly said that he was following the example set by Prophet Muhammad by turning the other cheek against those who attacked him.

Mohd Shahar said Pahang Umno Youth as such urged Mahathir to apologise to all Muslims in Malaysia for belittling the prophet, stressing that the matter cannot be taken lightly as part of efforts to protect the sanctity of Islam.

Umno's main targets: Dr M and DAP

Mahathir's co-operation with DAP was similarly criticised at the Umno general assembly which concluded last Saturday.

Umno president Najib Abdul Razak also accused the DAP of being anti-Islam, warning that Islamic institutions and Malay privileges will be eroded if DAP comes into power.

Najib also played a video of former DAP man Hew Kuan Yau telling Sarawakians to let "Malays screw Malays".

Hew said this when urging voters to support DAP's Batu Kitang candidate Abdul Aziz Isa during the Sarawak elections in May.

Hew, who regularly speaks at DAP rallies, stressed he is not racist as he was advocating for a Malay candidate. He has since quit DAP.

DAP acting chairperson Tan Kok Wai yesterday said the party is unmoved by the anti-DAP rhetoric at the Umno general assembly.

However, in his policy speech, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng assured that the party was not interested in installing one of their own as prime minister but fully backed PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim for the position.