Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad is willingly going against his own principles by banding with the DAP, which is a clear enemy of Islam, claims Umno-owned Malay daily Utusan Malaysia.

The paper quoted PAS spiritual adviser Haron Din as saying that Mahathir's about-turn, from his own long-held principles, courts many negative things.

"When you befriend the enemies of Islam, you will become just like them," Utusan quotes Haron as saying.

"As such, it is better for us to return to defend the tenets of Islam using the brotherhood based on syariah principles and staying away from actions that may court God's anger," he is reported as saying to the Malay daily.

However, Utusan Malaysia's article does not explain which of Mahathir’s principles that he has gone against.

The religious-tinged comments made by Haron (photo) followed that of the race-anchored arguments espoused by former chief justice Abdul Hamid Mohamad, who joined the Mahathir bashing by saying the former PM’s political alliance with the DAP and Amanah would lead to calamities of epic proportions befalling the Malay race.

Utusan also said that Haron accused Mahathir of being emotional because he did not get his way in wanting Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to step down or be removed from office.

Previously all of the strong-willed ex-PM's heart's desires were said or seen to be fulfilled, except for his latest crusade to remove Najib, Utusan reported.

"When his wish to change the prime minister did not come to fruition, so everything changed," Haron explained.

He said that as a mature political veteran, Mahathir should know better and realise what he is doing.

"The fight to uphold Islam through unity should be given priority by Mahathir in his advanced age," Harun reportedly concluded.

Mahathir is being continually chided and harangued by pro-government figures in the aftermath of the twin by-elections in Kuala Kangsar and Sungai Besar, when he openly campaigned against the ruling coalition and for the opposition Amanah candidate.