Faiz, who is now with PKR, said the consecutive losses by Bersatu candidates in recent by-elections pointed towards a growing rejection of the party among the Malay community.

He said Bersatu had strayed from its original goal of promoting a more moderate society since aligning with PAS.

Bersatu Youth chief Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal said Faiz’s views were irrelevant as he was regarded as someone who was disheartened by his failure to secure a seat in the previous general election.

Faiz was PN’s candidate for the Bagan Datuk seat at the 15th general election, which BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi defended with a 348-vote majority win over Pakatan Harapan’s Shamsul Iskandar Akin.

“He was given the opportunity to contest, but he was unsuccessful,” Wan Fayhsal told FMT. “His views are those of a disappointed person, and his call is unreasonable.”

Selangor Bersatu deputy chief Rafiq Abdullah said Faiz should reflect on himself, having enjoyed various rewards and opportunities in politics when in Bersatu.

“He received many benefits when he was in Bersatu,” said Rafiq. “Before expressing this kind of opinion, he should consider all the statements (he made against PKR) before he left Bersatu to join PKR.”

Faiz left Bersatu in August last year, less than a week after criticising party leaders over their choice of candidates for the Selangor state elections. He joined PKR in March with another Bersatu leader, former Dengkil assemblyman Adhif Syan Abdullah.

Faiz, who claimed to be among Bersatu’s first 100 members when it was established in 2016, questioned the Muhyiddin Yassin-led party’s decision to field those who were defeated in GE15.

Barisan Nasional candidate Syed Hussien Syed Abdullah was elected the new Mahkota assemblyman last Saturday after defeating PN’s Haizan Jaafar with a landslide majority of 20,648 votes.

It was the second straight loss for PN in a by-election after BN reclaimed the Nenggiri state seat in Kelantan with a commanding 3,352-vote majority in August.