KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 9 — Anyone can form a political party but it is up to the rakyat to accept it, said BN secretary-general Tan Sri Annuar Musa. 

He said the rakyat evaluates a party based on its merits. 

"If it is seen as promoting the personal agenda of nepotism and cronyism, it will certainly be rejected,” Annuar said on Twitter this morning. 

This is worsened if the party is seen as being in cahoots with DAP, which he said would lead to an early death (ditalkinkan awal).

Annuar was referring to former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who announced the formation of a new independent Malay-based party which would not be aligned with either Pakatan Harapan or Perikatan Nasional. 

The new Bersatu Blackout faction is set to be headed by Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir as president and Dr Mahathir as chairman, and expected to contest in the upcoming Slim by-election on Aug 29 as an independent.