Following the formation of the new opposition coalition Pakatan Harapan, opinion research firm Merdeka Center sees the development as a "welcome story" after months of a fragmented opposition.

"For me, it's a welcome story in the sense that, for a while, the opposition seemed totally fragmented and not able to piece back together.

"But the new coalition has a long way in terms of gaining the confidence of voters," Merdeka Center director Ibrahim Suffian told Malaysiakini yesterday.