KUALA LUMPUR, March 9 — Bersatu leader Tan Sri Rais Yatim has asked why Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was setting conditions before he meets Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin when the prime minister has not done similarly.

The former minister pointed out that Muhyiddin did not ask Dr Mahathir to cut ties with DAP in order for the two to meet.

Muhyiddin appeared to extend an olive branch to his immediate predecessor who previously accused him of betrayal in Malaysia’s political crisis last month.

"Why assert the precondition that TS Muhyiddin must first shirk off Umno from Perikatan Nasional b4 the 4-eyed meeting? Muhyiddin doesn't press for DAP to be out of the PH b4 any talk?

"TSM you have done your part. Get out of the shadow. Do what u have to do,’’ he said on Twitter this morning.

Earlier, Bersatu supreme council member Wan Saiful Wan Jan expressed hope that Dr Mahathir would meet with Muhyiddin, after calls from the party grassroots for both leaders to reconcile.

Besides Dr Mahathir, Wan Saiful also pleaded with Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir, the son of Dr Mahathir who is still Bersatu president, to end the standoff between the party’s top two leaders.

He asserted that all three leaders formed the backbone of the party.

Yesterday, Dr Mahathir said he would only meet with Muhyiddin if the latter dropped Umno from the new government.

Dr Mahathir has repeatedly said he would not work with Umno as he said the party was tainted by corruption.

Muhyiddin currently heads a government comprising an informal alliance between Perikatan Nasional and Gabungan Parti Sarawak.