UMNO secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor wants UMNO leaders and members not to act like 'crabs in a basket'.

He said leaders or members who are like crabs in a basket were willing to do anything, including destroying the existing institution.

"In UMNO, we will only succeed if we are united, so why tear down the existing institution.

"Don't act like 'crabs in basket' Don't rock the boat," he said when officiating at the Shah Alam UMNO divisional wanita, pemuda and puteri branches meeting simultaneously here last night.

Also present were Shah Alam UMNO divisional, Datuk Azhari Shaari.

He said party leaders at all levels down to the grassroot should maintain unity and defend the party to ensure it remained strong and intact.

"We (UMNO leaders and members) should be loyal to the current leaders. We have a system of election and the President (Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak) is selected through the existing system," he said.