Wanita Umno chief Shahrizat Abdul Jalil will let the people "be the judge", in regard to the stance taken by her predecessor Rafidah Aziz against the government.

The BNBBC (BN Backbenchers Club) website quoted Shahrizat telling a press conference that Rafidah's criticisms could stem from the fact that she has not been in power for some time, but declined to elaborate further.

"The rakyat can judge why she (Rafidah) is doing what she is doing. I'm sure Malaysians have the wisdom to make conclusions on why she is acting that way.

"When you have been in power for long, and then when there is no position, she may feel it. I respect elders, so I do not want to comment further," the portal quoted Shahrizat as saying.

Rafidah, who is former international trade and industry minister, has been of late, vocal about local issues.

Among the issues she had voiced out against are the provisional deregistration of Bersatu, the seizure of luxury yacht Equanimity and the lack of government response to the news, and 1MDB.

Rafidah had also previously dismissed an allegation by Umno supreme council member Nazri Abdul Aziz that she was bitter about losing her post in Umno to Shahrizat.

She said she had spent half a century in politics, and no longer had any interest in holding any party or government positions, and warned Nazri to never question her rights to speak about issues affecting the country.