Malaysian PM dissolves Parliament

Abdullah said the king had acted on Abdullah8217;s request.

Election authorities plan to meet Thursday to set a date for new elections, which could be held in early March, said Baradan Kuppusamy, a journalist who has covered numerous Malaysian elections.

Abdullah8217;s term as prime minister was to expire in June 2009, and Parliament would have been dissolved and new elections held then, had Abdullah not acted, Kuppusamy said.

Concerns have been simmering over rising food and fuel prices that many analysts expect to worsen next year, Kuppusamy added.

Malaysian prime ministers traditionally have sought the dissolution of parliament several months before the end of their term in hopes their party would prevail in fresh elections, Kuppusamy said.

Abdullah8217;s coalition party, the National Front, was expected to choose him to continue as prime minister if it captures a majority of seats in the next elections, Kuppusamy said.

The parliament was the 11th for the southeast Asian country, a constitutional monarchy, since its independence in 1957.