SHAH ALAM, Nov 24 — Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin today claimed that political rival Pakatan Harapan (PH) can run Malaysia without needing to form an alliance with Umno.

The former prime minister further claimed that the Malay nationalist party has lost its power even though it is a part of the federal government led by PH chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

"Even though Umno as a Malay party is in the government, they have no power.

"Umno, which has only 26 parliamentary seats, is only in government led by Pakatan Harapan. Without Umno, Pakatan Harapan can still rule,” Muhyiddin said in his speech at the sixth Bersatu annual general meeting at the Ideal Convention Centre her.

The Pagoh MP also claimed that Malays, who make up the largest demographic group in the country, have lost their power.

According to Muhyiddin, this is because the prime minister "is not from a Malay party”.

"For the first time in history, the prime minister is not from a Malay party.

"In fact, the chauvinist party that is anti-Malay and anti-Islam, namely DAP is the largest party in the government today,” he added.

Anwar’s party PKR touts itself as a multiracial party that represents all Malaysians, as does the DAP, its PH partner.

Muhyiddin and his Perikatan Nasional coalition partner from PAS have been repeatedly pushing the narrative that DAP is a Chinese "chauvinist” party that will remove Malay rights in its open bid to recapture Putrajaya.

Anwar who became Malaysia’s 10th prime minister after a fractious general election in November last year, has been portraying his administration as a "unity government” in line with the Malay Rulers’ call for political parties to set aside their differences and govern the country for the nation’s best interests.

The unity government was made possible after three other coalitions Gagasan Parti Sarawak, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah, and the Umno-led Barisan Nasional, agreed to join forces with PH to end the GE15 stalemate in which no single party or coalition had the minimum 112 majority out of 222-seats in the Dewan Rakyat to take federal power.