PETALING JAYA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak ticked off backbencher Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin who tweeted a salute to wartime Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler following Germany's thumping World Cup victory over Brazil, saying the MP would withdraw it.

The Prime Minister described the Kinabatangan MP's comments as "unacceptable and wrong".

"He does not speak for Malaysia or for ordinary Malaysians who understand Europe's tragic past and respect its modern unity," Najib said in a tweet on Thursday.

"This should be a time of celebration for Germany and we wish them all the best in the final."

Moments later, Bung complied, re-tweeting: "When Germany whacked Brazil, I unintentionally said something that hurt d feeling of d ppl in Germany. MY SINCEREST APOLOGY," signing off as "LONG LIVE BUNG."

After Germany's victory on Wednesday morning, Bung had tweeted, "WELL DONE..BRAVO...LONG LIVE HITLER".

Hitler, the leader of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945, was responsible for the holocaust that resulted in the death of millions of Jews.

The tweet even earned the MP the wrath of German ambassador Holger Michael who described it as "distasteful and unacceptable allusion to the fascist regime of Adolf Hitler".

The tweet made international news and was reported by the BBC, Time and The Washington Post, among other news outlet.

There were more criticisms levelled at the Sabah MP on Thursday, with MCA Religious Harmony Bureau chief Datuk Ti Lian Ker saying he was ashamed and appalled over the tweet.

"The World Cup is a sporting event that brings players, talents and fans together. Politics and racist ideology must never be allowed to creep in," he added in a statement.