Malacca Bersatu claimed today that the no-confidence vote challenge against its chairperson, Mohd Redzuan Yusof, was not carried out according to the procedure, and as such should not be accepted.

Malacca Bersatu secretary Zamzuri Arifin also claimed that the report quoted sources who had bad intentions against the entrepreneur development minister.

"I refer to Malaysiakini's report titled 'Sources: Entrepreneur minister hit by no- confidence challenge in Bersatu' which contained elements of slander by sources with bad intentions," he said during a press conference in Malacca this afternoon.

"It must be stressed that what was referred to by the source as a no-confidence vote challenge against Redzuan was not done according to the procedure.

"Therefore it did not happen. The reality is that a majority of members are in support of Redzuan."

Previously, several Bersatu supreme council sources told Malaysiakini that the challenge was mounted against Redzuan after he sacked former Kuala Lumpur mayor Ruslin Hasan as the Ayer Limau Bersatu coordinator, and attempted to remove Nazri Ramli as the Masjid Tanah Bersatu deputy chief.

"It was a unanimous vote by the division leaders, I was told that the local leaders were not happy with Redzuan.

"This matter has been brought up to (Bersatu president) Muhyiddin Yassin and (chairperson) Dr Mahathir Mohamad," one supreme council source said.

Another Bersatu supreme council source said that Redzuan was a divisive figure, who allegedly canvassed the council to position himself as the successor to Muhyiddin and even Mahathir.

The Malacca Bersatu rebels were said to have been pushing for state exco Mohd Rafiq Naizamohideen to be the party's new state chief.

Earlier today, however, Redzuan dismissed allegations that he is eyeing the top posts in Bersatu in the party polls at the end of the year.

At the press conference today, Zamzahuri further claimed there were attempts by "several Malacca Bersatu leaders and their supporters" to tarnish Redzuan's leadership.

"We are here today to show our undivided support for Redzuan as the founder and pioneer of Malacca Bersatu.

"Those in the state leadership who opposed Redzuan's leadership, they were often absent from meetings more than three times in a row without any valid reasons," said Zamzahuri, who urged Bersatu's central leaders to take stern actions against such leaders.