KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 8 — The prospect of taking on the combined forces of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his former political foe Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim won’t rattle Umno, its secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said today.

The politician dismissed the highly-publicised amicable meeting and handshake between the former prime minister and his one-time deputy-turned-Opposition leader last Monday could jeopardise the Malay nationalist party’s position, with general elections just two years away.

"It is not affected. If they want to meet, let them meet lah. We also meet with people, there is no harm,” the Federal Territories minister told reporters after officiating at a property development project here.

PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Azmin Ali was reported by news portal Malaysiakini to have said, after Dr Mahathir and Anwar buried their 18-year-old grudge with the handshake, that "Umno is now panicking” and played up the prospects of Umno facing a united Opposition coalition in the polls.

"Where got, I'm not at all shaken. We as the people's representatives still meet the people. We walk the talk,” Tengku Adnan said when asked to comment.

The Umno veteran also poked fun at the new political party chaired by Dr Mahathir Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, which received a provisional approval from the Registrar of Societies today.

"Where got bersatu?” he said, alluding to a word in the party’s name meaning "united”.

He declined further comment on the new party comprising mostly of former Umno members, saying only "to let them be in their own world”.

Anwar was Dr Mahathir’s protege who was seen as being groomed to be the next prime minister, until he was sacked from government in 1998 on corruption and sodomy charges.