Actress Ellie Suriati Omar defended her vocal support for former premier Najib Abdul Razak, saying she wanted to be a fighter and not a stooge of the current government.

Speaking at a live session with Malay daily Sinar Harian yesterday, she said her "fight" for the Malay race and Islam is crucial.

"People say I makan dedak (took bribes), that I'm a has-been, they say all kinds of things. They do not matter to me. The struggle should be above criticism and I choose to be a fighter for what is right.

"Why do I stand by Datuk Seri Najib when he has been facing this war of perception for years? I stuck my neck out (to shield) a person who was being rained with shots because I believe in standing for the truth," she was quoted saying.

According to the 48-year-old actress, when BN and Umno were in power, her involvement in politics was confined to discussing political issues with her husband.

She said the situation changed when Pakatan Harapan came to power after the May 9 general election, when she started to think of the future of the Malays and Islam.

"What Datuk Seri Najib said was true, when Umno is no longer in power, Malays and Islam will be challenged...that Malays will be bastardized (terbangsat) in their own land.

"To me, Umno is not a racist party. It is a party that ensures unity among various races. In fact, I am very nervous about Harapan's campaign for equality among races...it sounds easy but it can cause a split among the races.

"I feel strange when people call me a racist. Malay rights are being eroded on a daily basis," she added.

Ellie cited the Chinese language statement issued by Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng, the press conference conducted in English by attorney-general Tommy Thomas at the Kuala Lumpur High Court, as well as the proposed recognition of the United Examination Certificate (UEC), as purported examples of Malay rights being threatened.

"Those who don't realise will be left behind and will not feel threatened. The transformation that the country is undergoing, and what goes on in social media...the other races are now bashing Islam.

"All this while, we have guarded the sensitivities with the Rukun Negara, so that no race is hurt, but now the anger among the other races are showing. This rude and insolent behaviour did not happen under the BN administration," she said.