Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki has refused to entertain Umno supreme council member Lokman Noor Adam's demand for him to resign as the Umno Youth chief.

Instead, Asyraf questioned Lokman's position to be making such claims.

"Ask him instead: 'Is he in (Umno) Youth?' It's okay, we do not need to entertain him that much.

"The decision made yesterday did not come from me alone, but it was the consensus of the meeting yesterday and I stand by it," he told Malaysiakini today.

While speaking to reporters after the Umno Youth meeting yesterday, Asyraf had said that Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi should go on leave in view of the fact that he is currently facing trial for various alleged offences.

"It is not fair to burden Ahmad Zahid as Umno continues to move forward.

"Going on leave does not prove that he is wrong or (mean) he has to give up the post," he said.

However, he was criticised by Lokman who said in a Facebook live video that if a new leadership can help put the party back on track, then Asyraf should dissolve the party's youth wing.

"I challenge you to resign and hold a re-election. I will contest.

"If you cannot lead the youths to defend the party, then dissolve it," Lokman (photo) had said.

Previously, Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan had told reporters that Umno has a standard operating procedure (SOP) in 2009 which requires top leaders to go on leave if they were facing criminal charges in court.

However, he said, if they were later acquitted, they would be free to return to their posts.

Last week, Zahid was charged with 45 counts of money laundering, criminal breach of trust and receiving gratification.

Meanwhile, Puteri Umno chief Zahida Zarik Khan is unwilling to hurt Ahmad Zahid's feelings and add to his emotional burden, as she treats him as her father.

She said Puteri Umno will not only continue to be in solidarity with the party president but also provide him moral support as he faces the legal process.

"We (Puteri Umno) are like the child who is unwilling to hurt and add onto the emotional burden of our 'father' who is currently facing problems while handling the big Umno family.

"He has the right to justice based on the principle of (being) innocent until proven guilty and we should not be prejudiced by what is in the media.

"As everyone knows, our party is being pressured by the government, one by one our leaders are being charged and there is a big possibility that more will have politically motivated actions and selective charges taken against them," she said in a statement today.