PAS is prepared to face a general election at any time, the party's spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat said today.

The Kelantan menteri besar said that though the authority to call a general election at any time rested with the prime minister, the government should give time before holding a general election to enable the contesting political parties to prepare themselves.

"In a country which practises democracy, a general election should not come as a surprise but should be announced early, some three months or so earlier, so that we can all be ready for it," he told reporters after delivering his weekly Friday sermon in Kota Bharu.

Nik Aziz was asked to comment on the statement by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak that the next general election would not be held in the near future and that the actual date of the elections would be a surprise.

Najib told reporters two days ago in Tumpat that he would not dissolve Parliament to call a general election just because a recent popularity survey showed that the majority of Malaysians were satisfied with his performance.

Nik Aziz said it did not matter to PAS whether the general election was called early or late because the party was always ready for it.

- Bernama