In a tweet, the former Umno Youth chief said that a general ought to be dignified and take responsibility for losing a war. “This especially so when the general’s strategy led to the loss of many soldiers in the battlefield. The president must step down. Now.”

Khairy, who has in the past openly defied Zahid, also said that reforms in Umno could no longer be put on hold.

Khairy was health minister in the Cabinet of Ismail Sabri Yaakob, an Umno vice-president who became prime minister and a rival to Zahid’s leadership of the party.

At the general election, BN won only 30 seats, its worst electoral performance.

Several Umno leaders have since called on Zahid to resign, including Johor menteri besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi, former Selangor Umno chief Noh Omar, and leaders of BN component parties MCA and MIC.

Kedah Umno No 2 quits, urges Zahid out

Umno’s deputy leader in Kedah, Othman Aziz, has resigned his post, taking moral responsibility for BN’s loss of all 14 parliamentary seats in the state.

Othman, who was defeated in the contest for the Jerlun seat, also urged Zahid to resign.

“We have tried our best, and we accept that this is an absolute rejection of the Malays towards Umno at this time, so of course, we feel we need a ‘revamp’ or ‘overhaul’ in terms of Umno leadership.

He urged Zahid “to think openly and with a big heart, resign from his post”, Othman said.