DAP predicts polls before Mahathir retires in October
KUALA LUMPUR Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's ruling coalition will call general elections before he retires in October, an opposition party predicted today.
Information gathered by the Democratic Action Party (DAP) indicated that contrary to earlier belief, Mahathir would lead the National Front into the next polls, secretary general Kerk Kim Hock told the official
Bernama
news agency.
Elections are not due until November 2004, but the DAP an active, Chinese-based party now believes that the coalition wants to capitalise on Mahathir's status before he steps down after 22 years in power.
"We are getting a lot of information that the (National Front) component parties are actually targetting elections before Dr Mahathir retires and we know that they have started to compile the ground reports," Kerk said.
Mahathir has usually hedged over when the vote would be held, but said in November he hoped he would retire first.
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