A spokesman for the MCA, Ti said the Mahathir-backed movement amounted to nothing more than mere political rhetoric by a “vicious group comprising strange bedfellows”.

The general public, he advised, should therefore take with a pinch of salt their words and actions in calling for the ouster of the prime minister, Najib Razak.

“We must weigh in on them and question their real motives and intentions in calling for an open revolt or uprising. “What do they mean when they say “Save Malaysia” ? Is it meant to save themselves?,” he told FMT.

Ti is a member of the MCA central committee and heads the religious harmony bureau.

He wondered if those behind the movement had an alternative plan for administration or if they were engaged in “a reckless ploy that could leave the nation politically unstable”. Malaysians should not end up as pawns in a game by “powerful eunuchs” concerned only in protecting their interests.

“For them it is politics as usual. For them their ends justify their means.

“But the reality is akin to ‘gajah sama gajah bertempur, kancil mati tengah-tengah’,” he said, using a Malay proverb that that the innocent will be trampled when giants fight.

Ti remarks come in the wake of yesterday’s revelation by Dr Mahathir that Tengku Razaleigh had been the person behind an attempt to oust Najib through a confidence motion in Parliament last year.

He had claimed that Tengku Razaleigh, MP for Gua Musang, had approached him with the idea of the parliamentary vote and had appeared confident of success. “However, he failed to secure enough support for the confidence motion,” Mahathir said, complaining that Ku Li “didn’t do anything”.

Mahathir’s statement appeared to be in retaliation for Tengku Razaleigh declaring his support for Najib on Thursday, with other members of Kelantan Umno.