Malaysian Prime Minister Dissolves Parliament

Election expected later this month

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has dissolved parliament ahead of a general election.

Najib, whose National Front (BN) coalition has been in power for 56 years, made the announcement in a televised address on Wednesday.

"The king has accepted my request to dissolve parliament effective April 3," he said from the administrative capital Putrajaya, adding he hoped his coalition would win a "solid majority".