(April 13): Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir today said that the state Umno will make known its position on their support towards Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak on April 24.

He brushed off calls by Bukit Lada assemblyman Datuk Ahmad Lebai Sudin for him to resign, saying that the state lawmaker was overzealous in his remark.

Mukhriz said the Kedah Umno division heads had met on Sunday morning and agreed to make their position on Najib on April 24 when the Umno Supreme Council next convenes.

"We agreed not to issue any statement (before April 24). We want to issue a statement based on consensus of all members of Kedah Umno liaison. Ahmad Lebai was overzealous when he made that remark," Bernama reported him as saying after closing the Integrity Global Champions programme in Alor Star today.

Yesterday, Ahmad Lebai had reportedly urged Mukhriz, who is also Kedah Umno chairman, to step down as menteri besar if the latter does not publicly state his support for Najib.

Mukhriz added that the views of all parties should be taken into account before issuing any official statement and hoped that all parties wait until April 24.

"It is only 10 days away. The meeting yesterday considered the views of all parties and that is why Kedah Umno deferred from issuing an official statement."

Bernama reported that when asked about Ahmad Lebai's threat to call a special meeting without Mukhriz to discuss support for Najib, he replied: "I pray that Allah gives Ahmad Lebai good health and guidance."

Najib has been under fierce attack by veteran Umno leaders such as former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed and former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin.

Dr Mahathir, a former Umno president and also Mukhriz's father, has called for Najib to resign, saying that Umno and BN will lose the next general election if he did not do so.

This has triggered a wave of support for Najib from Umno grassroots leaders and those in the BN. - The Malaysian Insider