KUALA LUMPUR — Former prime minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad has dismissed allegations that he is responsible for Malay disunity, asserting instead that the formation of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) was a strategic effort to unify the community under a new political banner.
He clarified that his decision to leave United Malays National Organisation (Umno) and establish Bersatu was meant to provide a platform for those disillusioned with the party’s direction under the leadership of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
“I left Umno to establish a Malay party so that those disappointed with Umno under Najib would join Bersatu. This was intended to keep Malays within a single party that would replace Umbo,” he said in a Facebook post.
Dr Mahathir said he could no longer remain in Umno after it allegedly deviated from its original struggle for race, religion, and country, shifting instead towards self-enrichment and the pursuit of wealth.
However, he acknowledged that the plan to position Bersatu as Umno’s sole successor did not fully materialise, as many Umno members chose to remain, while others who left did not join Bersatu.
Reflecting on the political outcome, Dr. Mahathir noted that Bersatu won only 13 seats in the 14th General Election (GE14), limiting its ability to emerge as the dominant Malay political force.
He concluded by drawing a historical parallel to the Malay struggle against British rule, arguing that their strength at the time came from unity within a single organisation rather than the Umno name itself.
He added that the current “Payung Besar” initiative is necessary to regroup Malay political organisations and strengthen future electoral prospects. – April 7, 2026