(AFP) - Malaysia is to celebrate Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's 20th anniversary in power with the biggest dinner ever hosted in the country, organisers said today.

They said more than 25,000 people from all over the southern state of Melaka would attend today's dinner with the premier, who completes 20 years in power on that day.

Amid Nordin, Speaker of the state assembly and the principal organiser, said the previous Malaysian record for a dinner attendance was 20,200.

"There will be 2,500 tables with 17 chefs catering to the guests comprising representatives from non-governmental organisations and sports organisations, government officers, political leaders and members of the public," he told reporters.

Amid, quoted by Bernama, said 500 workers would be deployed to control traffic for the dinner in the town of Ayer Keroh. He urged guests to come early.

State police said one section of road would be closed in the evening to accommodate the crowd.

Setting records

During the Mahathir era, Malaysians have had an obsession with setting records. The prime minister set one world record by sanctioning construction of the world's tallest buildings, the Petronas Twin Towers.

Mahathir, 76, is due to address an electricity supply conference in the morning.

He follows a workaholic schedule despite a quadruple heart bypass in 1989 and shows no signs of stepping down any time soon.