A Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) Youth member has claimed that the party's goal is to make its deputy president Mukhriz Mahathir prime minister.

"Bersatu has become a party that fights for Mukhriz, it crusades only to make him prime minister," Mohd Taufik Abas told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today.

Taufik also claimed to be an exco member of the Youth wing despite its chief Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman stating that the former had been dropped.

Mukhriz is the son of Bersatu chairperson and former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Taufik explained how he first joined the party "a few months after it was established" because he was sympathetic to how Mukhriz, the former Kedah menteri besar, had to resign from his post following his criticism of 1MDB.

"However, many who raise issues or criticise the party (Bersatu) are now fired.

“There is no freedom of speech, only a 'yes boss' culture," he claimed.

Mahathir's detractors have also accused the former premier of attempting to engineer the political ascension of Mukhriz and this is the reason for him pushing for Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's ouster. 

Taufik also criticised the party for sidelining grassroots members in favour of titled elites.

“Four or five months after the party was formed, they started having different divisions within the party. They would put all these 'datuk' and 'tan sri' to lead the divisions.

“The akar umbi (grassroots), who did all the work from the start, were sidelined. Just like in Umno,” he said.

Despite his grouses, Taufik maintained that he would not leave Bersatu to join Umno.

“I have never been an Umno man. If I leave (Bersatu) I won’t be able to help, my intention is to solve this issue. I don’t want remnants of Umno to be in Bersatu anymore,” he said.

Bersatu was formed in August last year by Mahathir, Mukhriz and former deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin along with former Umno member Anina Saadudin, chairperson of a group of rebel Umno branch chiefs (Gabungan Ketua Cawangan Malaysia) Kamarulzaman Habibur Rahman, former Bendang Baru Umno Youth chief Akhramsyah Sanusi and student group Challenger leader Syed Saddiq.

Mahathir has repeatedly said that he formed Bersatu to replace Umno, a party he led for 22 years as premier, after the party descended into money politics and failed to properly represent the Malays.