Former PKR deputy president Syed Husin Ali has urged Pakatan Harapan not to be too hasty over the naming of their candidate for prime minister.

He said adequate time must be allocated for public feedback on the topic, even if it means waiting to the eleventh hour.

"Stop making this a big issue. There is no need to be hasty over this decision.

"Give adequate time to hear as many voices from the public as possible, even up to the dissolution of Parliament," he added.

Syed Husin is a member of PKR's political bureau - the executive branch of the party. He was PKR deputy president from 2002 to 2010.

He said Harapan was formed to unite the opposition parties towards the creating a just and developed Malaysia.

To achieve this, Syed Husin added, Harapan's focus should be on achieving the necessary reforms and therefore the coalition's aims were far bigger than choosing their candidate for prime minister.

In a related development, a group of young and mostly non-Chinese DAP members have urged the public and Harapan leaders to focus on policy matters instead of the PM candidate.

The group said time was not on Harapan's side and present discussions on the candidate were more than what presently required.

"It has diverted public attention on the main issue - to reject the (alleged) abuse of power and corruption by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak," said the group in a joint statement.

Among the signatories are Johor DAP assistant publicity secretary Sheikh Omar Ali, DAP Wanita assistant secretary Young Syefura Othman, DAP Youth exco member Dyana Sofia and Subang DAP head Edry Faizal.