In his first press conference since his return to Umno last month, former Selangor menteri besar Muhammad Muhammad Taib today explained his reasons for rejoining the party.

During the lengthy 50-minute press conference at his house in Shah Alam, Muhammad made it clear that all he wants is for the country's politics to be left to the Malays.

"If Malays lose their grip on politics, who will be taking care of the rural Malays?"

Citing his time in the opposition, Muhammad, who joined PAS and subsequently switched to PKR before returning to Umno, claimed the Malay agenda was never discussed.

Just as the country's Chinese population are encouraged to go into business and Indians encouraged to become professionals, Muhammad said, Malays should have a tighter grip on politics.

"I want to remind the Malays, especially those in Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) settlements, not to be easily influenced by their (the opposition's) manipulation," he said.

"I just want to remind the Malays, in our anger, not to accidentally kill the goose that lays the golden eggs," said Muhammad, who is widely known as Mat Taib.

Asked whether the goose laying the golden eggs was Umno, he said: "Are there other political platforms for the Malays, apart from Umno?

"When I attended PKR's supreme council meetings, they were full of all races, one couldn't speak about Malay interests.

"It is not practical. We need to have one Malay platform that discusses Malay matters," Muhammad said.

Asked why he did not leave PKR immediately, Muhammad explained that he did not want to be fickle minded.

"I wanted to have the benefit of the doubt," he said, and went on to insist that he was not a racist.

"We should allow the best Indian and the best Chinese to hold any post, but Malays must control the country's politics," he said.

Muhammad also said he has no qualms about an ethnic Chinese becoming prime minister.

"If Malays are at par (with the other races), even a Chinese can become prime minister.

"But now is not the time. In the United States, it took hundreds of years for Barack Obama to become president," said Muhammad, citing the first black American president.

Malays, he added, are simply not ready for such a change at the moment.

"Malays still need a political platform that takes care of Malay interests. Maybe in things like football and culture it's free for all, but this is not the case in politics."

Responding to former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who ridiculed his return to Umno, Muhammad recalled how he was commended when he was with Mahathir.

"For him, those who are with him are angels while those who are against him are his enemies.

"I don't want to fight him because he once appointed me as menteri besar, but it was a choice of between him and the Malays.

"I left him because I chose to take care of the Malays," he said.

Responding to Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali, who described his return to Umno as the party was "collecting old newspapers", Muhammad merely thanked the PKR deputy president.

"I want to say thank you to him because he doesn't really care about Malay issues."

Noting Azmin's proclamations of Selangor's various successes, Muhammad said these were the result of contributions made by previous Selangor menteris besar.

"Selangor, Johor and Penang have always been the force behind the country's economic growth and whoever becomes menteri besar will be sitting on top of the powerhouse.

"I was (Selangor) menteri besar for 11 years. Selangor contributes a third to the country's economy because of its location, but he (Azmin) uses social media to claim credit for this," Muhammad added.