Wan Azizah is the opposition leader, Azmin reacts to Zaid

Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail is Pakatan Harapan's opposition leader who will lead the coalition in the coming general election, said PKR deputy president Azmin Ali.

"We have an opposition leader, Wan Azizah, and we are preparing for the upcoming national polls,” he told reporters in Petaling Jaya this afternoon.

Azmin, who is also Selangor menteri besar, was responding to former minister Zaid Ibrahim, who told a news portal that Dr Mahathir Mohamad is the de facto opposition leader.

Asked for his view on Zaid's recent entry into DAP, Azmin said he hoped that the former PKR member would have a long future in the party.

"I agree with Mahathir. We hope that he will stay long in DAP," he added.

Zaid had quit PKR in 2010 amid his bid to challenge Azmin and Mustafa Kamil Ayub for the PKR number two post, alleging that the contest was rigged.

He had accused PKR leaders of being involved in "malpractices and electoral fraud" in the party’s first direct election.

"I was (made an offer) to join this party in the belief that I could promote enlightened and progressive politics; nurture and develop principled political values and (a) culture that I consider indispensable to the development of democracy and good governance in this country. I was mistaken," he had said.

Zaid's remark on Mahathir had also drawn criticism from DAP lawmaker Gobind Singh Deo, who indicated that the former minister should have checked with the party's central executive committee before making such statements.

He also denied Zaid's suggestion of a silent understanding among opposition parties regarding Mahathir's position, whom Zaid claimed is the best person to unite the opposition in the absence of Anwar Ibrahim.

Meanwhile, commenting on PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang's claim that Mahathir is behind the weakening of Islamic influence in politics, Azmin said that it was the Marang MP's "personal view".

In his speech in Marang, Hadi accused Mahathir of being responsible for the lessening of Islamic political power, despite Muslims being the majority in this country.

Hadi blamed political tactics Mahathir used to sideline PAS, which he claimed ended up weakening Islamic influence in politics, thus hurting Umno and Muslims too.

Queried on whether PKR would take part in the PAS-led Act 355 rally on Feb 18, Azmin said his party has yet to receive an invitation from the Islamic party.- Mkini