A Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) leader has challenged Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin to take on Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

“If he truly loves and is relentless of not wanting to betray his party, he must take on Najib, now.

“That will be brilliantly statesman-like and a genuine patriot. That perhaps is acting in the true spirit and letter of upholding the raison d'etre of Umno.

“So what is your response when your party is betrayed, Khairy?” asked Dzulkefly Ahmad.

The Amanah strategy director was responding to Khairy's accusation that Pakatan Harapan is power crazy.

Describing the accusation as “completely misdirected and ludicrous”, Dzulkefly said it inadvertently boomerangs back to Najib as well.

He claimed that Khairy was also wrong to accuse Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Anwar Ibrahim of betraying Umno to acquire power.

“The legendary duo now both helm the opposition coalition leading the charge against Najib's Umno-BN in the next general election.

“Truth be told, Anwar left (rather was sacked) when mounting a challenge on Mahathir's alleged 'sins of omissions and commissions', which gave birth to the phenomenal reformasi. It was never about betraying the party per se, but about correcting the wrongs.

“Now Mahathir, with (Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia) president Muhyiddin (Yassin) and others, in the same stride, left (or were sacked from Umno) to stage the final assault on Najib's kleptocratic government. Again, it is not about betraying the party but when the party, and more importantly the nation, are betrayed,” he added.

Dzulkefly claimed that while Khairy's antic was understandable, the latter should, however, not lower himself to the likes of Sungai Besar Umno leader Jamal Md Yunus.

“Blamed for not outrightly defending his boss, he is frantic to show otherwise. But that doesn't warrant him to shoot from the hip and reduce himself to his wannabe successor Jamal,” he added.

Last week, Jamal revealed that he might consider contesting for the Umno Youth chief post after the next general election.

Speaking in Penang yesterday, Khairy, who is also youth and sports minister, said the principle of Harapan is not for the future of Malaysia, but to work together for the sake of their respective powers.

“Mahathir and Anwar were former Umno leaders and now they are seeking to break up Umno and the Malays,” he added.