The Prime Minister's Office has denied rumours circulating that Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak will dissolve the Parliament today.

In its Twitter handle @PMOMalaysia, Najib's office said that the rumour is "absolutely untrue".

NONE "The rumour that Parliament will be dissolved today by PM @NajibRazak is absolutely untrue," it said.

The matter was confirmed by a media officer of the prime minister when reached by Bernama .

“No dissolution today,” the officer said.

Word has been flying around that the PM had announced the dissolution of Parliament around noon today.

The news, quoting a statement apparently issued by the prime minister, circulated on the social websites at about 12.30pm after Najib was seen coming out of the Istana Negara this morning.

Najib was seen entering the Istana Negara at 7.55am and leaving about an hour later.

It is customary for the prime minister to have an audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong before he chairs the weekly meeting of the Cabinet, which is now held on Wednesdays.

Malaysiakini journalists also faced questions from members of the public who were eager to get a confirmation on the rumours they were hearing and messages received on the supposed dissolution.

There have been strong expectations that Parliament would be dissolved today, a day after Najib presented his report card on the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) and Government Transformation Programme (GTP) in a nationwide televised address last night.

The Negri Sembilan state assembly is the first due to be dissolved, on March 26.

NONE The 13th general election has been widely expected to be called before the state assemblies are dissolved.

DAP national adviser Lim Kit Siang ( left ) had earlier speculated that Parliament would be dissolved on March 25, one day before the Negri Sembilan state assembly is dissolved.

However, Lim said, there was also the possibility of Parliament being dissolved five days earlier or after March 25.

The term of the ruling federal government officially ends on April 28 and the general election must be called within 60 days from that date.

The Election Commission (EC) has maintained that it will hold both the state and federal elections simultaneously.

Previously, then prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had set a precedent in February 2008 when he initially claimed he was not going to dissolve Parliament on Feb 13, but promptly did so on that very day.