Following accusations that Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) practices favouritism, Umno supreme council member Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz said this culture did not come from Umno.

"There is nothing wrong with Umno. It is them (Bersatu).

"It has got nothing to do with Umno. It is their culture (of favouritism). Mahathir, Muhyiddin and Mukhriz's culture," Nazri said to reporters after attending a Bangladeshi New Year's festival in Kuala Lumpur today.

Bersatu is failing because of this culture, he said, and also because the top three leaders - Bersatu chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad, president Muhyiddin Yassin and deputy president Mukhriz Mahathir - are not attractive characters to potential members.

Nazri said Bersatu is not the first Umno splinter party, citing the Semangat 46 and PKR.

The tourism and culture minister added that like the others, Bersatu will not be able to bring down Umno.

"I think they (Bersatu leaders) knew this but they were motivated by anger and vengeance, so much so that they were blinded to all this but we knew it all along," he said.

Claims of favouritism within Bersatu arose when one of the party founding members, Kamarulazman Habibur Rahman, alleged it was one of the reasons for him quitting the newly-formed party.

On April 19, Kamarulazman announced resignation from all his posts and from Bersatu.

He said he was disappointed by the direction the party was taking, as well as many internal issues.

Kamarulazman also claimed Bersatu now practices cronyism and favouritism.

However, Bersatu secretary-general Shahruddin Md Salleh has denied these allegations, saying all appointments of leaders within Bersatu were based on thorough consultations with all stakeholders in the party.

The seven-month-old party was officially registered last September.