An Umno Youth leader today said his counterparts from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) should organise a "Nothing to Hide 2.0" forum for former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad for him to be grilled by his new allies in Pakatan Harapan.

Federal Territory Umno Youth chief Razlan Rafii said this must be done before Bersatu Youth can issue an invitation for Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to face off with Mahathir at its planned programme on Aug 13.

"Mahathir must first answer about the foreign exchange (forex) scandal. Umno never accused him of stealing.

"All this while those who accused him are (now) his friends. So they should hold their own 'Nothing to Hide' forum," Razlan told a press conference at the Umno headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

"Call Mat Sabu, Anwar Ibrahim, Lim Kit Siang to sit at one table and question Mahathir whom they had called a thief," said Razlan who claimed the leaders are now ready to forgive Mahathir for all his past sins.

Among others, Razlan said the Harapan leaders had previously questioned Mahathir over his role in the 1980s forex scandal, as well as the source of his children's wealth.

"Answer at a Pakatan Harapan programme, then only talk (about inviting Umno)," said Razlan who was among some 100 Umno Youth members who yesterday gathered outside the party headquarters in a face-off with about 30 Bersatu Youth members who came to deliver their invitation for the planned programme.

Mahathir, now Parti Pribumi Bersatu chairperson, had on July 17 challenged Najib to another "Nothing to Hide" programme, dubbed "Nothing to Hide 2.0".

At the time, Mahathir had said that Najib should seize the chance to respond to all the allegations against him, and he would also do the same.

Bersatu Youth has since taken the lead to organise the forum.

In an immediate reaction, Bersatu youth chief Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman said the issue that Mahathir must first be grilled by Harapan leaders before inviting Najib to the forum next month should not arise.

He said Razlan might not be aware that Nothing to Hide 2.0 is a public forum that will be open to all who wish to question Mahathir and Najib.

"I would like to stress that this programme is not a platform to create a perception because it is not only Najib who will be questioned, Mahathir will also be evaluated by the people, and Armada PPBM is opening the platform for all to question and evaluate  so that the truth can be upheld," he said in a statement.

While Mahathir had repeatedly expressed readiness to answer questions on his own administration, Syed Saddiq added that it still remains a mystery whether Najib will be equally ready to answer questions surrounding the 1MDB scandal.

The previous "Nothing to Hide" forum was held at Umno’s headquarters at the Putra World Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur on June 2015.

It was organised by law-based NGO SukaGuam as a platform for civil society groups, including Mahathir, to grill Najib.

Najib had supposedly agreed to appear at the forum.

However, the prime minister did not turn up and Mahathir took to the stage instead to address the audience of about 2,000 people until the police stopped him from continuing his speech.