KUALA LUMPUR. Nov 10: Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad announced a snap election today, saying he was confident of retaining the two-thirds parliamentary majority on which he has staked his political reputation, reports AFP.

"The government has decided to dissolve parliament from Thursday. November 11, to enable general elections to be held." he told a press confer -

Asla's longest serving elected leader, who has kept the country guessing for months on the Ball date, said the independent lection Commission would set the dates for nominations and polling day.

The commission will meet Friday to deoide on the dates, chairman Omar Hashim was quoted as saying by state Bernama news agency.

Polls can be legally held as soon as 11 days after the commission sets the date for nominations. In the past three elections. during which Mahathir was in power, campaigning lasted just 10 days each time.

A jovial and wisecracking Mahathir said he decided to call the polls before the month of Ramadan in December to prevent the opposition from using the mosques to campaign.

He said he was iso worried about attempts by the opposition to disrupt the election by staging street demonstrations and riots, especially when they realised they might not win.

Asked if he was sure of retaining his ruling coalition s two-thirds majority, the premier said: "Yes. very confident."

"Everything has been completed. the machinery is ready. Otherwise I wouldn’t call for election."

Analysts say Mahathir. 73. faces his toughest challenge of recent years after the sacking and Jailing of his popular deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim in September 1998. a move which split the bedrock Malay constituency.

His National Front coalition has secured a two-thirds parliamentary majority .for the past three decades and the pre-

mier has committed himself to doing the same this time.

Opposition parties which have formed a loose alliance tacitly concede they have no hope of winning but are determined to deny the Front its two-thirds majority, which allows it to change the constitution.

Mahathir said he was not seeking to reaffirm his popularity or an endorsement of his economic policies.

"I don't go for election to test my popularity against somebody." he said. "This is not a game that we play ... What is important to me is that this country gets a good government."

The premier said there was "nothing personal" about the election.

"I happen to be the leader, yes. but we work as a team and we stand united." he said. "I don't care if I go down in history as a good guy or a bad guy. What is important is what is achieved."

He poured scorn on the opposition alliance and his former heir apparent Anwar, its candi-

date for prime minister.

They will promise the moon and the sun and everything because they know they, are going to lose. We do not make promises we cannot keep."

The premier said Anwar had been "accusing everybody of all kind of misdeeds" while giving evidence in his sodomy trial.

"We are prepared to face this kind of situation. We are not worried about his accusations. We know him. He will try everything possible to disrupt the government." he said. ■

Asked about his retirement Mahathir said he would uve . >tep down "some day" but declL.-o to say if this would be his last election.

The premier Tuesday evening cancelled his trip to a Commonwealth summit in South Africa, hours before he was due to depart.

Opposition parties have criticised the October 29 budget, which cut income and other taxes and boosted wages for civil servants, as a pre-election vote grabber.