Zahid maintained that Umno had always heeded the voice of its grassroots and even paid attention to those calling for the party to leave the government.

“But don’t be a provocateur. The decision that we made (to jointly form the unity government) was not easy, but we decided to put our country first.

“Umno remains firm in its principles. But don’t add fuel to the raging fire. Umno’s patience has its limits. Don’t test us.

“We hear the voices of Umno Youth, Wanita Umno and Puteri Umno. So don’t try to disturb us,” he said in his opening speech at the Umno general assembly.

Zahid did not direct his remarks at anyone in particular.

Earlier this month, Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh urged the party to quit the unity government, but Zahid said Umno would back Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s administration until the end of its term.

Akmal acceded to the decision but announced that he would step down as a Melaka executive councillor so that he could freely criticise and “fight DAP to the end”.

PAS Youth chief Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden meanwhile welcomed Akmal’s move and said he, too, would fight DAP with his Umno counterpart.

PAS information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari had also urged Umno to leave its alliance with Pakatan Harapan in the unity government, so that their Muafakat Nasional pact could be revived.

Offers to form new government

Zahid told the general assembly that other parties had courted Umno to ditch the current administration and form a new government.

He said Umno decided to continue supporting the unity government because it was sincere about being a partner in the administration.

He also warned that Umno’s patience should not be misconstrued as weakness on its part.

“If there are whispers trying to undermine our loyalty, if our patience is mistaken as weakness, such actions are like adding fuel to the fire,” he said.