KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 20 — Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir was challenged to swear on the Quran by former special political officer Haris Che Mat to deny the former is trying to "fast-track” his way to becoming prime minister.

Haris, who is also Kedah Umno’s former executive secretary, repeated claims that Mukhriz had plans to run for Umno’s deputy president post in 2018 if he had won in the party elections two years ago.

"I call on Mukhriz to stop the theatrics because it is just political drama. I want to tell him that the people of Kedah are not stupid, and we can read his agenda of wanting to be prime minister through whatever means,” he was quoted saying by Malay language daily Berita Harian.

"Mukhriz’s plan was, if he won the party elections to become an Umno vice-president two years ago, he would want to run for the deputy president post in 2018. I challenge him to swear if he has no intentions to fast track his way to become prime minister,” he added.

The daily further quoted Haris as telling Mukhriz to put an end to the Save Malaysia movement, as the country was peaceful under the present leadership.

This comes after Mukhriz, who is now pro-tem vice-president of newly formed Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, earlier this week denied Haris’s claims that he was mounting attacks against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak for his personal ambitions.

Mukhriz reportedly said, however, he would not be taking legal action against Haris as he still considered his former political secretary a friend.

Parti Pribumi was initiated by several prominent Malay leader after leaving Umno in a bid to win Malay support, especially in the hinterland, at the next general elections due by 2018.

Its pro-tem chairman is Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Mukhriz’s father, while the president is Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who was sacked as Umno deputy president.