The Selangor state assembly will not be dissolved, at least until March 2012, even if snap polls are called this year by the federal government.

Speaking to reporters after conclusion of the first state assembly sitting for the year, Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim said this was because the Pakatan Rakyat government has been mandated to govern until March 2013.

NONE "We have been entrusted to manage the state for five years and we want to do it. It is the same argument for the Sarawak assembly, which does not follow the general election dates and will soon have its own state polls," Khalid ( right ) said.

He said his government believes it requires more time to see the outcome of its policies, which are now in the midst of implementation.

"By giving us a year or so, we will be able to assess the effects of our programmes, and so on," he said.

Khalid noted that the decision to not follow the federal government with an early election, should it decide to do so, "is more than about living up to the spirit of federalism".

Sounding defiant, he added: "It is the state's sovereign right and that part of sovereignty is something we have not surrendered to the federal government."

While Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak has been keeping his cards close to his chest, speculation is rife that snap polls will be called sometime this year.

Expectations have been further heightened with BN component parties, one by one, announcing the postponement of their party leadership elections.

BN leaders have also been increasingly seen zig-zagging across the nation on "meet the people" tours, where talk of an early general election is often heard.