Umno information chief Annuar Musa is convinced Dr Mahathir Mohamad spoke the truth about DAP and Anwar Ibrahim in the past compared to now.

“Is it true Tun (Mahathir), you want to be friends with DAP? Is it true Tun, you are convinced DAP can do good for Malaysia? Is it true Tun that DAP today is no longer racist?

“Is it true Tun, you are convinced that the politics of DAP, PKR, Anwar Ibrahim and so forth is the answer to the problems in Malaysia?” he was quoted as saying by Umno Online.

Annuar said it is not possible that what Mahathir has been preaching in the past two years is the truth.

“Speak the truth... We want Tun to speak the truth from his heart and not according to emotions. I am convinced what Tun said in the past is more accurate...

“Tun is lying when he says DAP is good... DAP can defend Malaysia. And if he says Anwar is qualified to be PM, I rather hold on to what he (Mahathir) said 23 years ago,” he added.

The Ketereh MP said Mahathir (photo) was either peddling lies in the past or is doing so at present.

“If he is not lying now, he must have lied in the past. So we must choose... the time he lied... Tun Mahathir is lying now... What is Tun Mahathir's political lesson to people like us for the past 23 years when he faced numerous challenges?

“During that time, Tun Mahathir was more truthful because he wanted to save our race, so we supported him. So I hope Malaysians will not follow his lies for the past two years and forget the (truths) 23 years before,” he added.

Prior to launching a campaign against Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and crossing over the political divide, Mahathir had been one of DAP's staunchest critics.

As for Anwar, whom he sacked as deputy prime minister in 1998, Mahathir had described him as morally unfit to lead the nation.

Meanwhile, Annuar, who was officiating the Mersing Umno division meeting in Johor, said that Umno members must be grateful to be in a group comprising those with “pure DNA” capable of facing a slew of challenges.

“Because of this, it is difficult for Umno to die... Do not let Umno to be misunderstood. The opposition accuses of many things... say that we are clannish and racist.

“... It is our fault if we do not introduce the true essence of Umno's struggle... Umno struggles for all the rakyat,” he added.