A top Pakatan Rakyat leader today warned the opposition alliance was suffering from a "bout of loss of public confidence" after it enjoyed unprecedented success in national polls last year.

Pakatan, a loose three-party coalition which seized control of a third of seats in parliament in the 2008 elections, has recently been hit by infighting.

dap 2010 budget rocket cafe 071009 lim kit siang 01 DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang urged the alliance to "impose discipline among their leaders" to protect the opposition's image, especially after its defeat in a by-election earlier this month.

"Pakatan Rakyat had been suffering a prolonged and unceasing bout of loss of public confidence... to convince the Malaysian electorate in its credibility, cohesion, integrity and common sense of purpose," he said in a statement.

Lim cited BN's by-election victory in Bagan Pinang state seat in Negeri Sembilan two weeks ago as an example, saying the opposition "cannot take the setback lightly and must not be in denial about its weaknesses and faults".

BN had lost seven out of eight by-elections held since 2008 polls but it ended the opposition winning streak with a thumping victory in the latest vote, although it was criticised for fielding a popular but graft-tainted candidate.

'Problematic leaders'

The main Islamic party PAS is dogged by infighting after its spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat called for an extraordinary general meeting to remove several top party leaders he described as "problematic".

NONE Nik Aziz, a highly respected figure in PAS, made the proposal over his unhappiness that some of the party leaders were keen on pursuing a pact with Umno, the largest party in ruling BN.

PKR was also divided after Zaid Ibrahim, a former cabinet minister who quit last September and later joined the multi-racial party, recently announced his plan to go on a six-month leave.

Zaid reportedly said he did not want to be "distracted by any internal party politics", fuelling speculation on the growing discord within PKR, led by former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim.

- AFP