Instead, Zahid, who is facing 45 charges involving over RM100 million, said Umno members should move as a team “to oppose the enemies who are out to destroy it”.

“Rise Umno, pray for Umno,” said Zahid in hashtagged messages on Twitter.

It comes a day after Umno Youth chief Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said Zahid should go on leave, adding that it would allow the party chief to better focus on his upcoming court trials.

“Our principle is that as long as he is not convicted, he should not resign from holding the president’s post,” Asyraf had said.

Zahid thanked Asyraf for his opinion.

“Thank you for the opinion Umno Youth Malaysia, I celebrate the diversity of opinions,” he added.

Zahid, who was elected as the Umno president in July, has claimed trial to 45 charges related to criminal breach of trust, money laundering and corruption.

Asyraf’s call did not sit well with Kinabatangan Umno Youth chief, Mohamad Kurniawan Naim Moktar, who said it was unbecoming of the Youth wing’s reputation as a “strong bastion of the party”.

“Umno Youth should aggressively defend the leadership and the party,” said Kurniawan, who is also the son of Umno’s Kinabatangan MP, Bung Moktar Radin.

The view was also echoed by Puteri Umno, whose chief said its members would continue to stand in solidarity and give moral support to Zahid.

“We continue to provide support to the president to defend and protect the party from falling into a more dangerous situation for the future of religion, the Malays and the nation,” said Zahida Khan.