If there is one person who should know when the 14th general election will be held it is Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

However, Bernama reported that the premier joked about the matter when he posed the question to journalists as he left Parliament this afternoon.

“When is the election?” he asked a group of journalists who approached him as he was walking out of the Banquet Hall accompanied by his wife, Rosmah Mansor, and heading to the car.

In January, Najib said he was waiting for “some sort of spark” to dissolve Parliament and pave the way for the 14th general election.

“You know, what the Malays say ilham (inspiration) on what is the best timing for us.

“As long as we do it within the ambit of the constitution. Let's see whether we have to wait until June (automatic dissolution) or earlier. We will see how things develop,” he added.

The Singapore Straits Times, meanwhile, quoted a BN insider stating that the election is expected to be held by the third week of April.

"We expect the voting day to be held by the third week of April and preparations are already being made to identify white, grey or black areas," the insider told the newspaper.

The insider has reportedly been part of BN's "main election war room" since the 2008 election.

For the general election to be held by late April, it would likely mean that Parliament has to be dissolved this month, mid-way through the ongoing Dewan Rakyat session.

The Dewan Rakyat session is slated to end on April 5.