KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) \u2014 Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced that Parliament will be dissolved Monday, paving the way for general elections that are expected to be held in early November.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The elections come nine months before Parliament\u2019s term expires, following calls for early polls from Ismail\u2019s United Malays National Organization. UMNO, the biggest party in the ruling coalition, was feuding with its allies and is aiming for a big win on its own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ismail said he met Sunday with King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, who consented to the dissolution. He said he decided to call early polls to counter criticism over the legitimacy of his government \u2014 the third since 2018 polls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWith this announcement, the mandate will be returned to the people. The people\u2019s mandate is a powerful antidote\u201d to create a firm and stable government, Ismail said in a televised announcement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Election Commission is expected to meet within the week to announce a date for the vote, which must be held within 60 days from Parliament\u2019s dissolution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a statement issued by the palace, Sultan Abdullah voiced hope that the election will be held swiftly as the year-end monsoon season that starts mid-November often brings devastating floods. The monarch, who left late Sunday for a visit to London, said he has no choice but to approve Ismail\u2019s request so people could vote for a stable government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
UMNO\u2019s allies in the government and opposition parties have protested plans for elections during the monsoon season, which last year killed more than 50 people and displaced thousands. But UMNO\u2019s top leaders decided recently that polls must be called this year for UMNO to capitalize on support of ethnic Malay voters, an opposition in disarray and before an expected softening in the economy next year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIsmail Sabri has succumbed to pressure by his party UMNO, serving the shortest tenure as a PM, and entering the country into polls during a dangerous season of monsoon floods,\u201d said Bridget Welsh, a Southeast Asia expert with Malaysia\u2019s Nottingham University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cUMNO believes it has the advantage with early polls and has maintained pressure as they hope to return to power as the dominant party,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n