Despite his name oft-mentioned as the opposition's prime minister candidate, Pakatan Harapan de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim himself had asked that the PKR leadership negotiates with all quarters including the civil society on the matter.

PKR communications director Fahmi Fadzil said this in response to a Malaysiakini report which stated that PKR has agreed with Pakatan Harapan's suggestion to name Dr Mahathir Mohamad as their nominee for the premiership along with Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as deputy premier, albeit with certain conditions. 

Fahmi, however, stressed that PKR was only asking for space to discuss and achieve consensus on the matter.

"We have discussed about the interim prime minister issue before. Now it has been suggested that Mahathir is considered for the post," said Fahmi in a statement today.

Anwar, he added, had called on the PKR leadership to discuss the matter with everyone because he did not want Harapan to be seen as being hasty.

"The main issue here is to defend the reform agenda that must happen in the country which does not mean by only changing the current prime minister but with a thorough reform," he said. 

According to sources, PKR's political bureau had agreed to endorse the Dr M-Wan Azizah combination on condition that Mahathir agrees to pursue Anwar's release from prison and hand over power to him.

"We also want (Mahathir) to promise that he will only be an interim prime minister until Anwar can take over," said the source.

The sources said this was decided during a political bureau meeting on Dec 19 and the proposal had the endorsement of Anwar himself.

The Dr M-Wan Azizah combination was proposed during the Harapan leadership retreat earlier this month.

When news of this proposal was leaked, some of the PKR grassroots were unhappy because they believe Mahathir's 22-year rule had contributed to Anwar's jailing in 1999.