PKR deputy president Azmin Ali is slated to meet with party lawmakers in Parliament this afternoon, according to a news report.

Quoting a source, Star Online said the meeting is scheduled for 3pm.

“This time, it will be at his office in the Parliament. We were all 'invited' to be present at his office at 3pm and most of us will be there, ” said the source.

This purported meeting comes less than 24 hours after the economic affairs minister met more than 20 BN MPs, including former Umno vice-president Hishammuddin Hussein, at his residence in Putrajaya last night.

The meeting followed Pakatan Harapan's massive defeat in the Tanjung Piai by-election on Saturday, which saw pressure mounting on Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to step down.

Former PKR deputy president Syed Husin Ali had described the outcome as a referendum on Mahathir's leadership and urged him to pass the baton to PKR president Anwar Ibrahim.

Speculation had been rife for months that Mahathir and his inner circle preferred Azmin to become the next premier despite Mahathir and Anwar repeatedly assuring that their succession plan would proceed as planned.

Previously, the Pakatan Harapan secretariat also accused Hishammuddin of attempting to form a new government without DAP and Amanah, which the Umno leader denied.

Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi claimed that Umno lawmakers had met with Azmin to discuss channeling government projects for their constituencies.

Earlier, the Umno disciplinary committee said it is investigating the meeting.

Meanwhile, Anwar demanded an explanation from Azmin regarding the meeting at his residence, which he said raised questions.

Ties between Anwar and Azmin had been strained for a long time and the fissures widened last week when an invitation to the PKR deputy president to officiate the Youth national congress was rescinded.

Azmin described this as an attempt to silence him.

Whereas, Anwar, when speaking at the Perlis-Kedah PKR convention on Saturday made several hard-hitting remarks which were believed to be aimed at Azmin and his faction.

Among others, he warned about the trappings of power and wealth, noting how when PKR had become part of the ruling coalition, idealism began to wane.

"Positions are not for us to become slaves and lackeys to the point of losing our sense and forgetting the party and principles of our struggle.

"Our (political) ascension is because of the party. How can we forget the party and principles after obtaining positions and power?" he said.