Its secretary-general, Lim Guan Eng, said Mahathir’s claim is wrong, baseless and misguided.

He said Mahathir is wrong as history and facts have proven that DAP is a multiracial party that seeks to represent all Malaysians regardless of race or religion.

“DAP has never discriminated nor taken any position that is inimical to the rights and interests of Malaysians whether Malay or non-Malay, Muslim or non-Muslim. DAP leaders have gone to prison for defending the rights of both Malays and non-Malays.

“Fortunately, there are a growing number of Malaysians that are impressed by our proven track record and do not see DAP as extremist, when DAP is able to win seats with more Malay than non-Malay voters,” he said in a statement.

Lim said the recent assistance given by Bukit Mertajam MP Steven Sim to a homeless Malay single mother with 10 children “is the best response to those that falsely label DAP as extremist”.

He said DAP is an inclusive party and has elected representatives from all major ethnic groups, including Malays and Sabahans and Sarawakians.

He said it is Perikatan Nasional (PN) or Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties that are racist or extremist in seeking to represent only one racial or religious group.

“Unlike Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin who sees himself as Malay first, DAP sees ourselves as Malaysian first,” Lim said.

Mahathir had made the claim when commenting on an Umno leader’s statement on the possibility of his party working with DAP if it adopted a more moderate approach.

Umno Supreme Council member Tajuddin Abdul Rahman had said the Malay community still viewed DAP as a Chinese-based racist party.

Mahathir also said MCA was once a “quite extreme” party, too.

However, Chong Sin Woon, the party’s secretary-general, rubbished his claim, saying MCA was never extreme.

“We have advocated the middle path all this while,” Chong told FMT.

As far as Mahathir is concerned, he said, everyone is extreme “but himself”.