Malacca Chief Minister Idris Haron said his “US wants to kill Malays” remarks were designed to stoke the fires of patriotism among citizens of the country.

However, he added that his remarks about the motivation behind the US Department of Justice (DOJ) civil filing to seize assets linked to 1MDB, have been misunderstood by certain parties, reports Malay daily Berita Harian.

He said that his remarks were designed to boost patriotism, specifically to Umno members he was addressing.

"Understand my meaning (when I said that the US seeks to kill Malays) – that was to stoke the patriotic spirit amongst Umno members so that we can administer our own country without outside intervention," he said after opening Surau At-Thoiyyibah at Taman Rembia Perkasa in Alor Gajah, Malacca, today.

He was commenting on brickbats thrown at him for saying that the US is using the DOJ filing in order to topple Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, and also targeting to kill the Malays just as it had with the Iraqis.

Last Sunday, when opening the Ampang Umno divisional meetings for its Youth, Women, and Puteri wing, Idris told the audience that the DOJ court filings related to the 1MDB scandal were part of a political ploy to unseat the Malays.

He claimed the US authorities did not approach 1MDB, but made its explosive allegations out of the blue.

Idris questioned the DOJ's credibility in doing so, citing the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 and the subsequent US occupation of the state on grounds that then Iraqi president Saddam Hussein allegedly possessed weapons of mass destruction.

He added that even after Saddam’s death, not a single chemical weapon was found to this day.

“You cheated the Iraqis, you killed the Iraqis, and now you want to kill the Malays in Malaysia.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we must rise!” he said.

The DOJ's suits last month alleged that about US$3 billion had been misappropriated from 1MDB, and it is seeking legal action to seize the assets it claimed were purchased with the stolen cash.

Idris was hit by brickbats from both sides of the political divide over the matter, ridiculed by the opposition, and with an Umno minister even saying that he has no idea what was in the chief minister's head when he made the claim.