JITRA: The Kubang Pasu Umno division does not share the views of its committee member Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir who had urged the Prime Minister to step down, division chief Datuk Mohd Johari Baharum said.

He said the contents of the letter was Mukhriz's own opinion.

“The division will continue to support the Prime Minister and his deputy to lead the country,” he told a press conference here yesterday.

It was reported that Mukhriz, who won the Jerlun parliamentary seat, had sent a private letter to Umno president Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi urging him to step down after the poor performance in the general election.

When asked if the division would take action against Mukhriz, Mohd Johari said the division would leave it to the Umno supreme council.

He said Umno members should unite during this hard time and stop blaming the leaders for the election results.

In Kota Kinabalu, Sabah Umno Youth has called on Mukhriz to retract his letter to Abdullah. Its chief Datuk Japlin Akim said Mukhriz's letter to Abdullah was “improper and rude”.

“Initially, Mukhriz supported Abdullah. Then he quietly sends a letter to the Prime Minister asking him to step down,” he said in a statement.

In Kuala Lumpur, Johor Umno Youth chief Razali Ibrahim said the party's Youth wing members should stop making statements in support or against Mukhriz.

“Let the leaders decide on the right thing to do,” he said.