Amid a debate on whether Dr Mahathir Mohamad was the de facto opposition leader, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak has decided to chip in, stating that it is DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang who holds the position.

“Lim Kit Siang is Pakatan’s de facto leader. DAP should stop trying to hide it.

“Voters know DAP has the most opposition seats and Lim Kit Siang calls the shots,” he said in a Twitter posting today.

Yesterday, DAP’s newest recruit Zaid Ibrahim in an interview said former prime minister Dr Mahathir was the de facto opposition leader.

He was immediately rebuked by DAP’s Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo, who accused him of making the statement without the party leadership’s blessing.

PKR deputy president Azmin Ali also rebutted Zaid, stressing that the opposition leader is PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

Zaid later lamented that he could no longer express his personal opinions.

Former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim was widely acknowledged by the opposition as their de facto leader.

However, following his jailing in 2015, a leadership vacuum ensued, with the opposition failing to name a prime minister candidate beyond Anwar.

Anwar had spent exactly two years in prison yesterday and is expected to be released no sooner than the middle of 2018.