KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 7 — Barisan Nasional (BN) acting chairman Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan today said that the coalition will convene soon to decide who will be the next Opposition leader.

Malaysiakini reported Mohamad as saying Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had relinquished the post after going on leave as Umno president last December.

"The post of the Opposition leader is still vacant as Zahid had let go of it because he is on leave.

"I will call for the meeting as soon as possible. If we don’t have a meeting, I will meet each party,” Mohamad told reporters in Shah Alam today.

When Mohamad was asked whether Datuk Ismail Sabri Yaakob would be appointed as the head of the Opposition coalition, he replied: "Why not?”

"If you think (he should become Opposition leader), why not? If you think so... but (that’s what) you say,” he added.

Since Zahid’s leave of absence, Mohamad, who is Umno deputy president, has taken his position as acting Umno president.

This left Ismail to take over Mohamad’s post and assume his duties as the acting Umno deputy president; however, it is unclear what his current post within BN is.

Since BN’s historic loss at the May 9 polls, the coalition, which boasted 13 component parties, is now down to its original three partners: Umno, MCA and MIC.