KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 9 — Umno has denied receiving any official resignation letter from its Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh, dismissing viral claims on social media as speculation and hearsay.

The party’s secretary-general, Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, said no formal notice had been submitted and stressed that Umno does not base leadership decisions on rumours circulating online.

“There is none. So far, no official letter has been received. As the party’s secretary-general, we do not base our position on what is being said on social media or on talk that is going around,” he said when asked to comment by Harian Metro.

The denial comes amid mounting speculation over the position of Dr Akmal, following reports that he was preparing to step down as Umno Youth chief and as the Merlimau state assemblyman.

Earlier today, an Umno Youth leader sought to play down the rumours by pointing to Akmal’s continued political activity. 

Umno Youth secretary Hafiz Ariffin shared a photo on Facebook of himself with Akmal at the airport as they prepared to fly to Sabah, questioning the reports and suggesting the focus remained on party work.

“What news is this? There’s so much work that needs to be done,” Hafiz wrote, adding: “Let’s go Kinabatangan and Lamag! Fight on!”

Hafiz later confirmed to Free Malaysia Today (FMT) that the reports were untrue, saying he was travelling with Akmal to Kinabatangan, Sabah, to assist Umno’s campaign for the upcoming by-election.

“It’s not true,” he told FMT. “In fact, we are heading to Kinabatangan now for (tomorrow’s) nominations for the by-election.”

Speculation was fuelled by a report by Malaysiakini citing unnamed sources who claimed Akmal had expressed an intention to resign from his party posts and state seat. 

According to the report, the Melaka executive councillor had informed a group of Youth leaders via a WhatsApp message while he was in Shanghai, China, that he would relinquish all positions upon returning.

Asyraf Wajdi, however, sought to place the issue in context, saying differences of opinion within the party were normal and should not be a reason for leaders to lose heart or step aside.

“On a personal level, as an elder brother to Dr Akmal — and as someone responsible for placing him in that position — differences in views are something ordinary,” he said.

Recalling his own time as Youth chief, Asyraf Wajdi told Sinar Harian there were moments when his views were not accepted by the party’s top leadership, but that this was part of organisational life.

“That did not mean we should resign or become demoralised. That is normal in the tradition of an organisation,” he said, adding that Umno’s guiding principle remained consultation and consensus-building. 

“Sometimes our views are accepted, sometimes they are not. What matters is that we are guided by syura — agree to disagree, and if there is disagreement, we eventually reach a consensus.”

Speculation over Akmal’s future intensified earlier this week after he hinted that he might step aside, saying “perhaps it is time for me to step aside” following Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s rejection of his call for the party to leave the federal government.

Zahid also dismissed Akmal’s proposal for Umno to revive cooperation with PAS under the Muafakat Nasional charter, which Akmal had tabled during a party political bureau meeting on Monday as a matter of principle.