Following a briefing by Umno president Najib Abdul Razak this morning, Puteri Umno has also joined in voicing support for their party leader.

However, Puteri Umno chief Mas Ermieyati Samsudin said the party wing still respects Dr Mahathir Mohamed and urged Najib to resolve the spat amicably a soon as possible.

"We know and understand that it is (up to Najib's) discretion, but we ask it to be resolved amicably, harmoniously, immediately and in a family-like atmosphere, because Puteri was created under Mahathir's leadership.

"That's why we love the two leaders," she told a press conference after the closed-door briefing.

Reporters from Malaysiakini and The Malaysian Insider had been barred from attending the press conference.

When met after the press conference, Mas Ermieyati strongly denied allegations that the support for Najib was in exchange for money and power, as claimed by Mahathir in a video clip released last week.

Instead, she said the support comes from the sincere belief that Umno is sincere in championing the Malays and Islam.

“When I looked at this briefing, I see youths who are truly sincere and just wanted to understand the future direction of the (party) leadership,” she added.

She said Puteri Umno’s leadership had sought to meet Mahathir as well, but had yet to receive a response.

Meanwhile, earlier during the press conference, Mas Ermieyati ( left ) said Najib spoke about 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), the murder convict Sirul Azhar Umar, economic issues, and internal and leadership issues at the party and national level.

However, she said the explanation at the hour-long briefing was not in detail due to time constraints, and expressed hope that there will be regular meetings with Najib in the future.

She said the members is glad for the meeting today and are confident of the answers given, but stressed that the wing is not offering blind support for Najib.

“We are youths. We’d hate it if there is no closure to issues or if there are no answers. What the president said is that we can have it all (the answers), but not in an hour,” she said.

She added that the party machinery is prepared to face the upcoming by-elections in Permatang Pauh and Rompin, and with today’s briefing, she expressed confidence that party workers would be able to explain the issues raised today and it would not hamper BN’s chances at the ballot boxes.