Hordes of reporters have been gathered at the Perdana Leadership Foundation here since late afternoon, in anticipation of an announcement on the date of Mahathir’s promised handover of power to PKR president Anwar Ibrahim.

The top leaders of all four PH parties are present tonight, including the coalition’s president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Amanah’s Mohamad Sabu, PPBM’s Muhyiddin Yassin and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and the party’s deputy chairman, Gobind Singh Deo.

The closed-door meeting is expected to last about two hours.

Under a deal struck by the PH leadership in the run-up to the 2018 general election, Anwar was to succeed Mahathir as prime minister at an unspecified date after the coalition took over Putrajaya.

Mahathir has said he plans to step down after the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Kuala Lumpur this November.

Anwar recently indicated that he had no issue with a November handover, and that he was confident of support from MPs.

“You’ve waited 20 years, extending six months doesn’t actually matter.

“If there’s a request to go back to Parliament, of course it can be done, but PH has the majority right now,” Anwar said in an interview with Reuters.

Putrajaya has been abuzz with rumours and speculations over the outcome of today’s meeting, including one predicting a possible break-up of the coalition formed in the run-up to the 2018 general election.

A source had earlier indicated that the coalition would also discuss a Cabinet reshuffle today.