Malaysian election to be held March 21

SINGAPORE, March 5 (UPI) -- Malaysia's Election Commission says the general election will be held March 21, eight days after nomination day and the official start of the campaign.

Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi dissolved Parliament Thursday, calling for the snap election well ahead of the end of the current government's mandate in November.

At stake are 219 parliamentary seats and 505 state seats. The current government is expected to return in power easily, but the key issue is whether it can improve on its current majority, Bernama reports.