Amanah leader Husam Musa's suggestion to field Dr Mahathir Mohamad at the 'symbolic' Putrajaya parliamentary seat in the coming general election showed that the opposition is faced with a vacuum in leadership, said political analysts.

The opposition needs a leader that could replace jailed leader Anwar Ibrahim, who could not contest in the next polls following his failure to overturn his sodomy conviction in his final court appeal, said political analyst Tang Ah Chai.

"This new leader should have the ability to mobilise all the parties and leaders as well as reconcile the disputes between the parties. He or she should place the interest of the larger group above individual parties," he told Malaysiakini.