I have to cease giving my personal views, rues Zaid

After being rebuked over his remark that Dr Mahathir Mohamad is the de facto opposition leader of the opposition, former law minister Zaid Ibrahim responded on Twitter with a tinge of sarcasm.

"Well. Now I have to cease giving my personal views on almost anything. I hope reporters will make it easier for me by not asking," he said.

Earlier, DAP lawmaker Gobind Singh Deo denied there is a silent agreement between opposition parties that Mahathir is the de facto leader.

He also reprimanded Zaid, who joined DAP on Tuesday, for making such comments to the media without consulting the party's central executive committee.

In his defence, the former minister said that he had attempted to clear the air on the issue.

"When people say opposition leaderless, I tried to clarify. I never intended to suggest Tun M (Mahathir) is supreme leader. Ok, no more on the subject," he tweeted.

In an interview with the Malay Mail Online, Zaid suggested that there is a silent agreement amongst the opposition pact regarding Mahathir's position.

"We have a leader. Just that it is not spoken or proclaimed. But Mahathir is the de facto (leader) and I am happy with that," he was quoted as saying.

Zaid also said that Mahathir, who is the chairperson of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), is the only person with the calibre to unite the opposition in the absence of Anwar Ibrahim, who is serving a prison sentence.

However, Gobind said the DAP CEC has never discussed nor agreed upon such a thing.

"I find it strange that Zaid has chosen to make such an announcement as a DAP member without first consulting the party leadership. He should know better.

"It is the CEC which decides on behalf of DAP and there has never been any such decision made," added the Puchong MP.- Mkini