Party information chief Shahril Hamdan said: “Do we want to risk losing because of schisms (within the party). Choose unity, choose stability.”

He urged members to support party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and to allow space for Umno vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who is prime minister, to run his government and choose his Cabinet members.

Shahril said any meetings held with other political leaders did not mean that Umno was backing any movement. He said Zahid knew better and should be left to make his own decisions.

There was also no need to openly question Ismail, Shahril said as the party, the president and Supreme Council had given their blessing for Ismail to be the party’s “poster boy” for the elections.

“There is no need to cast any doubt,” he said. There should also be no room for distrust about the decision to hold Umno’s leadership elections after the general election.

“If we can hold on to this, and keep calm, Umno will win,” he said.

His statement comes amid speculation of a “civil war” in Umno between a faction supporting Zahid and another in favour of Ismail. Questions have been raised about the postponement of party elections and its effect on Ismail.

Talk of the “civil war” arose after Supreme Council member Tajuddin Abdul Rahman, a presidential appointee, was removed from the council last week.

Earlier today, he said he was a “living witness” to Zahid’s efforts in 2020 to get Umno MPs to sign declarations of support for Anwar Ibrahim to become prime minister.

Tajuddin claimed that some 130 divisional leaders wanted Zahid to resign. Umno has 191 divisions.