A grandson of the late Abdul Razak Hussein has said that Pakatan Harapan chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad should return to the path set for him by the second prime minister, that is, to save Umno and not destroy it.

"Razak brought Mahathir back into Umno's fold to strengthen, defend, and raise Umno in leading Malaysia to the global stage. Not to destroy Umno," Nazifuddin Najib, the son of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak said in a Facebook post today.

"Mahathir, return to the right path, that is the path Razak paved for you to become the fourth prime minister," Nazifuddin added.

Razak had brought Mahathir back from the political wilderness after the latter was sacked from Umno in 1969 for criticising then-president Tunku Abdul Rahman.

Nazifuddin was commenting on a Malaysiakini article published on Jan 17, in which Mahathir's wife Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali fondly recalled her memories of Razak.

"He (Razak) is a great man and (his wife) Tun Rahah (Mohammad Noah) is a very, very brave woman," Siti Hasmah had said.

Nazifuddin said he deeply appreciated Siti Hasmah's words.

However, he said Mahathir's onslaught against his father, Najib, was disappointing and unbecoming of a former prime minister, especially given that he was willing to work with DAP and “sacrifice his dignity” to return to power.

He said the times had changed, and so had the people's needs and wants.

"So there is no reason for Mahathir to be so angry at Najib unless there is a hidden agenda as mentioned by many members of the public who know Mahathir very well," Nazifuddin said.

The prime minister's son added that if the Bersatu chairperson truly cherished Razak's contributions, Mahathir should protect Najib just as Najib protected him in the past in 1988 and 1998.

This is in reference to when Umno was declared illegal in 1988, as well as Mahathir's falling out with his then-deputy Anwar Ibrahim in 1998.

Mahathir, who is Pakatan Harapan’s candidate for prime minister, had repeatedly accused Najib of corruption and of destroying the country.

Najib has denied such allegations.