UMNO president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is the new opposition leader in Parliament.

PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said this was decided after a meeting among the opposition parties yesterday.

“Zahid is the opposition leader,” he told The Malaysian Insight when met outside the Dewan Rakyat today.

Umno secretary-general Annuar Musa said Gagasan Sejahtera agreed the party with the most MPs should be the opposition leader.

“Gagasan Sejahtera consented that the leader should be from the party with the most seats.

“All opposition parties, including PAS, agreed for Zahid to be opposition leader,” he told reporters.

Following the May 9 elections and ensuing defections, the government under Pakatan Harapan has 116 MPs, and its Sabah ally, Warisan, has eight. BN has 54, Gabungan Parti Sarawak 19, and PAS 18. The remaining are smaller Sabah parties and independents.

Former prime minister Najib Razak resigned as Umno president after the defeat BN faced in the polls. – July 16, 2018.