Malaysia to go to polls on March 8

Kuala Lumpur, Feb 14: The Election Commission of Malaysia on Thursday announced that polling for the 12th general elections in the country will be held on March 8.

"The commission has fixed the nomination date for February 24 and polling will be held on March 8," EC chairman Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman told a press conference. Yesterday, Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had said that he was dissolving parliament to pave the way for general elections. "The states have been advised to dissolve the state assemblies on the same date," Badawi had said.

Candidates will vie for 222 parliamentary seats and 505 state seats.

Abdullah will lead the Barisan Nasional into the election for a second time, The Star online reported.

ANI