Umno has not been completely destroyed by its catastrophic defeat in the May 9 general elections and could still recover, said Pakatan Harapan de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim.

Anwar, himself once an opposition leader, opined that Umno's struggle to rebuild would enable the party to "grow up" and become a responsible opposition party.

"It is impossible if we are going to say that everything in Umno is destroyed, entirely ruined.

"The experience of suffering a major defeat and the internal splitting of BN will make them grow up and play the role of being an effective opposition voice by monitoring Pakatan Harapan," he was quoted as saying in an interview with Astro Awani.

The biggest Malay-based party was still able to win 54 parliamentary seats in last month's polls and thus, had the right to play its part in the country's political scene.

This was, Anwar said, Umno's acid test, adding: "The party had been living with the culture of money and power. To continue, it needs (to instil) new spirit," he said.