Dr Mahathir Mohamad's plan to set up a new political party would disunite the Malays and make them the minority, said Umno Veterans Club secretary Mustapha Yaakub.

"(Now we have) Umno Malays, PAS Malays, PKR Malays and Amanah Malays. If Mahathir forms a party, then the Malays will be divided into five (factions).

"The Malays who are now in the majority will become the minority... Mahathir realises this but in politics 'the end justifies the means'," Mustapha was quoted as saying by Bernama.

He was responding to Mahathir's confirmation yesterday that a new party was in the works.

The former premier said the party would be part of a grand coalition to fight BN in the next general elections, but that it had not yet been decided whether it would be a Malay-only party.

Among those expected to make up the party's leadership include former deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin, former Kedah menteri besar Mukhriz Mahathir, and former Umno vice-president and Sabah political giant Shafie Apdal.

Meanwhile, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Madius Tangau said setting up a new party would reduce Mahathir's standing from a statesman to a mere politician.

The Sabahan was confident BN would not be shaken by the new party.

"The people are free to judge and choose who they want to become the government and, in this case, the track record of the BN government has already been proven," Madius was quoted as saying.