Information Minister Zainuddin Maidin said the ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), which is led by Abdullah, was working to bring the two together to patch up their differences.

Zainuddin said he had enlisted the assistance of an individual who is "dear" to both Abdullah and Mahathir to put relations back on track.

"I've contacted the individual," he was quoted as saying by Bernama news agency, without elaboration.

A senior cabinet minister Nazri Aziz on Wednesday accused Mahathir of trying to bring down the government and destroy UMNO, which has headed the ruling coalition for half a century.

Mahathir still commands influence in UMNO, but in a sign of his fading importance, political figures have lined up to condemn his campaign against the government which included comments that it lacked "guts".