Pakatan Rakyat will only decide on who would take over the role of opposition leader currently held by Anwar Ibrahim after the Permatang Pauh by-election.

“We will decide on the opposition leader after the by-elections,” DAP parliamentary whip Anthony Loke told reporters today at the Dewan Rakyat lobby.

In a press conference he held alongside other Pakatan who included PAS parliamentary whip Mahfuz Omar and PKR’s whip Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin, they also said the decision on the Permatang Pauh seat candidate would be decided by PKR.

“The consensus in Pakatan is that PKR will decide on the candidate for the Permatang Pauh by-election,” Loke added.

The trio also disputed the Pardon Board’s ‘decision’ today, which they said would only be “official” when Anwar’s family receives a proper letter from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

“The decision has to go through his family first, till they get an official reply nothing has been confirmed yet,” the Seremban MP said.

On Friday, it was previously reported that the Pardons Board has disposed of the petition and the opposition leader will be disqualified as a member of parliament.

However, the court has fixed today to confirm the decision by the board.

In Penang, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said the matter is consider official only when Anwar’s family receives a letter from the Agong, who chairs the Pardons Board.

The Penang chief minister said such was his experience when he applied for pardon in 1998 when sent to prison for publication of false news related to the alleged rape of an under-aged girl by a top Malacca government leader.

On what would be Penang’s next move following the decision of the Pardons Board, Lim said, “That question would be best asked of PKR as the Permatang Pauh seat belong to them.”

“We will wait for the official letter to Anwar’s family before we announce our next move,” he said at a press conference in Penang.