KUALA LUMPUR: Wanita Umno is throwing its weight behind Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Its chief, Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad, said Umno members should give Zahid the mandate and space to lead and revive the party until the next general election.
"Post-GE15 (15th General Election) has given us a new challenge in the country's political arena. We are being pushed from many angles as the political cooperation we established has been contested both from within and outside.
"Give a mandate and space to the president to lead and regain this party.
"As members who love this party, we should not be carried away with the sentiments played by the opponent," she said in her speech at Wanita Umno's "Himpunan Solidariti Wanita Bersama Presiden Mempertahankan Institusi Presiden" rally at the World Trade Centre here today.
Noraini also said that changing the Umno president was not the right course of action at the moment.
"Instead, we need to identify what the will of the people is and regain their support.
"We realise the enemy does not want to see Umno rise. Every opportunity and space is being used to bring down this president and the party."
The party, she added, would need to take a radical approach to restore its image.
"We can no longer use the same methods and strategies to get different results.
"This is not the time for us to blame anyone.
"All party members need to find the best way for us to win the hearts of the people together."
Some 1,000 Wanita Umno members from across the country attended the rally amid calls for Zahid to step down following the party's dismal performance in the Aug 12 state elections.