(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-02-13 14:44

KUALA LUMPUR -- Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on Wednesday announced to dissolve the parliament to pave the way for general elections.

Speaking at a news conference, Badawi said the dissolution had received consent from the King and the Election Commission would decide on the poll date in coming days.

The prime minister said in a brief statement that Malaysia's Supreme Head has signed a royal decree to dissolve the country's 11th parliament according to the constitution.

All the country's local governments had been informed to dissolve their parliaments accordingly and the Election Commission would work on the poll date and the nomination of candidates in the coming days, he said.

The dissolution came 15 months before the expiry of its five- year term on May 16, 2004. The ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition swept to a landslide victory in the 2004 general election.

"I am confident of winning, and I hope that we will retain our two-thirds majority," Badawi said.

Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Abdul Razak, who was present when the announcement was made, said he hoped the general election would run smoothly.

The BN machinery was ready for the general election, he said.

"The list of candidates has been fixed," he said, adding that the BN would field new faces as well as the old guard and would announce the names in a day or two.