In another twist, Dr Mahathir Mohamad appears to have dislodged DAP from its pole position in Umno Youth's list of enemies of the Malay race in Malaysia.

According to Berita Harian, Umno Youth vice-chief Khairul Azwan Harun had declared the 92-year-old politician as the “main enemy (musuh utama)” of the race.

Khairul said this is because the former prime minister and Umno president of more than two decades is working hard to ruin Umno.

Ironically, Mahathir's critics have always condemned him as a racist and an ultra-Malay.

As far as Umno was concerned, he was one of, if not, its most celebrated leader, who worked hard to uplift the socio-economic condition of the Malay race.

Prior to Mahathir occupying the top spot as Umno's main enemy, the party leaders often accused DAP of being the greatest threat to the position of the Malays and Islam, an allegation that Mahathir himself peddled in the past before his party, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), formed an alliance with DAP.

'Umno cannot make mistakes'

Speaking at the Kota Bharu Umno division's Youth meeting in Kelantan this morning, Khairul said Umno cannot make mistakes with regard to targeting its enemies in a political war.

“Today, in the context of war, we have to see who is our enemy. The enemy of the Malays, and working towards destroying this party (Umno) is none other than Tun Dr Mahathir.

“I am deliberately mentioning his name because I don't want our (election) machinery to target wrongly, because everything he (Mahathir) says is to destroy Umno,” the daily quotes him as saying.

Khairul claimed that Mahathir's greed and ego had caused him to forget Umno's struggle.

“Mahathir ruled for 22 years, Umno was forced to legitimise his actions in the past due to his capacity as Umno president and (on the basis) of loyalty.

“At one time, he was our president. We even allowed him to expel his deputy (Anwar Ibrahim).

“But look at what he is doing now. He wants to ruin Umno's struggle, hurls all sorts of slander at (Prime Minister) Datuk Seri Najib (Abdul Razak) to the point that some believe these lies,” he said.

Therefore, Khairul urged Umno members to come to the defence of the party against Mahathir.