Pakatan Harapan's potential candidate for prime minister remains Anwar Ibrahim, DAP publicity chief Tony Pua said today.

This comes after Harapan's new ally Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) adviser Dr Mahathir Mohamad said Bersatu pro-tem president Muhyiddin Yassin is the top pick for PM if the opposition wins the next general election.

"As it stands, Pakatan Harapan's position is, and remains, Anwar Ibrahim (for prime minister)," Pua told Malaysiakini.

Asked if this is tenable, given that Anwar is serving a five-year jail sentence, he said: "We'll worry about that later."

Anwar was sent to jail for sodomising his aide in February 2015.

The PKR de facto chief continues to deny the charge, and claims political conspiracy.

Selangor PKR deputy chief Zuraida Kamarudin, meanwhile, said that anyone can make a suggestion with regard to the next prime minister.

"I didn't read what Tun (Mahathir) said. But if it is true, these kinds of things, anyone can suggest.

"They can suggest Anwar, Muhyiddin, (PKR president Dr) Wan Azizah (Wan Ismail) ... But at the end of the day it will go back to the democratic process," said the PKR Wanita chief.

"Tun has also said that before (democratic process) so for me this is not an issue," said Zuraida who is also Ampang MP.

Top choice

Mahathir, in a lecture in London last week, said Muhyiddin is the top choice, but it would depend on whether Muhyiddin is elected Bersatu president and if "the coalition" agrees.

The former PM also conceded that there is not much discussion now on the coalition's prime minister candidate as it could cause upset in the group.

He added that a Bersatu prime minister will also be compelled to consult with the party's chairperson and committee on policy matters, so that he would not make unilateral decisions.

Mahathir said this is because cabinet members may feel obliged not to oppose the PM in meetings, as the PM appoints them to the post.

Muhyiddin was Umno deputy president before he was sacked from the party this year for his vocal criticism of 1MDB and party president Najib Abdul Razak, who is also the prime minister.

Muhyiddin subsequently formed Bersatu with Mahathir, Mahathir's son and former Kedah menteri besar Mukhriz Mahathir, and other former Umno members.

Former Umno vice-president Shafie Apdal, who was sacked from the cabinet alongside Muhyiddin, has formed another Sabah-based party, which will work with Pakatan Harapan to help unseat BN.