PETALING JAYA: Khairy Jamaluddin today threw support behind calls for

Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to resign as the party president, as a rebellion gathers

momentum with defections from elected representatives and key leaders.

The former Umno Youth chief agreed to a Twitter post calling for the Umno
leadership to convene an extraordinary meeting to demand Zahid’s
resignation and elect new leaders.

“Only Umno members can save Umno – PPBM, Anwar or PAS can’t save us,”
said the Twitter post, in an apparent reference to speculation of top Umno
leaders trying to form a new alliance.

“Agreed. Immediate party election,” Khairy said in his response.

Khairy lost to Zahid in the Umno presidential election in June.

Yesterday, Sabah Umno Youth issued a call for Zahid’s immediate resignation
in the wake of a mass exit of leaders from the party’s chapter in the state.

Its vice-chief Ghazalie Ansing said Zahid no longer commanded respect

within the party, accusing him of using Umno as “a shield to save himself”.

In October, Umno Youth told Zahid to go on leave pending the outcome of

his corruption trial.

The former deputy prime minister faces 46 charges related to criminal breach
of trust, money laundering and corruption, with the latest charge made just
today.

Umno Youth chief Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said the wing was not asking Zahid to
resign, only to go on leave “until everything is over”.

This came days after Umno veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, who heads
the party’s council of advisers, said it was best for Zahid to either take leave
or resign from his post as was the practice of previous Umno leaders who
had been charged in court.