Malaysian PM announces dissolution of parliament for tough election

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak on Friday announced the dissolution of parliament for a general election that will pose one of the sternest-ever tests for his ruling coalition, due to a massive financial scandal and a challenge from former leader Mahathir Mohamad.

After laying out the Barisan Nasional coalition’s recent achievements in a speech on state television, Najib announced the legislature would be dissolved on Saturday to pave the way for the hotly-anticipated poll.

"We have delivered and we will continue to deliver," he said, appealing to the country’s 14.9 million voters. Following the dissolution, the election commission will announce in the coming days the date for the polls, which are expected early May. The coalition has been in power since independence from Britain in 1957 but its support has been dropping in recent years. A scandal surrounding sovereign wealth fund 1MDB that captured global headlines has worsened its problems.

Billions of dollars were allegedly looted from the fund in an audacious campaign of fraud and money-laundering which is being investigated in several countries, and it is claimed that large sums ended up the personal bank accounts of Najib.

The leader and the fund deny any wrongdoing. Najib’s United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), the main coalition party, has clung on to power by pushing policies that favour the Muslim Malay majority.