KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 31 — Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was one of the few Umno leaders responsible for indoctrinating the Malays into disliking DAP, Umno's Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan has reportedly claimed.

He said the current alliance between Umno and DAP is difficult to accept by the Malays because there were parties that he claimed were twisting the facts over the newly-formed unity coalition.

"Among those who indoctrinated the Malays into disliking DAP is Tun Mahathir.

"But when Tun Mahathir wanted to defeat Barisan Nasional in 2018 during the 14th general election, he was with DAP and that fact was accepted by Malaysians which allowed them the opportunity to become the government of the day,” he was quoted as saying by Sinar Harian.

Ahmad Maslan explained that the formation of the unity government is suitable as an administrative model because it is inclusive to all parties.

"We have various ethnic races like Malay, Chinese, Indian, Kadazan, Iban and other Bumiputera groups in Sabah and Sarawak whose majorities are represented in the unity government and therefore not specific towards just the Malays,” he said.

Umno and DAP became allies after their coalitions Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan formed the federal government after the 15th general election saw no coalition achieved the majority on their own.

Most recently, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad alleged that the Anwar administration is being pressured by DAP’s MPs to discard Islam in favour of a secular and multi-ethnic country, contrary to the "Malayness” in the Constitution.