Nur Jazlan, formerly the MP for Pulai and once a deputy minister in Najib Razak’s cabinet, told Utusan Malaysia that Umno was already finding it challenging to win back the support of Malays and that DAP was hardly helping.

He said Umno was “sincere in making this unity government a success,” and had thus tried to avoid voicing its opinions on matters of support.

“But when we stay quiet, DAP is the one who makes these kinds of statements,” he said in a rebuke to Perak DAP vice-chairman Abdul Aziz Bari, who recently said Malay support had shifted from Umno to Perikatan Nasional.

Nur Jazlan said DAP should instead appreciate Umno’s role in helping it and Pakatan Harapan form the federal government.

“DAP is one of the reasons why we are finding it hard to gain back Malay support. Because the Malays don’t trust them. Their strategy of putting the Malays in positions of power in the party no longer works now,” he said.

Yesterday, Utusan Malaysia reported that Aziz said Umno’s stature among Malays was now unclear as PN had gathered the community’s support and assumed the position Umno once held, as evidenced by the results of the last general election which saw PN gain serious ground on the once dominant Umno.

Aziz said Umno was now in survival mode, relying on PH for positions in power.