PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia – Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi dissolved the country’s Parliament to instigate early elections.  According to Malaysian law, elections must be held within 60 days of parliament being dissolved.  However, it is typical that the election commission calls for an election long before the 60 day deadline.

The move for early elections has sparked criticism from Anwar Ibrahim.  Anwar Ibraham, former deputy primer and member of the Democratic Action Party, notes that the timing of the early election precludes him from taking part.  He is unable to stand for office until March under an ban imposed when he was jailed in 1998.

Experts foresee that the elections will be quite controversial because of the recent ethnic tensions between Indians and the Malay majority, rising food prices, and allegations of corruption in judiciary.

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International Herald Tribune – Malaysia to Hold Early General Elections Amid Anger over Prices, Ethnic Tensions – 13 February 2008