KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob on Monday called an early election, aiming to win a stronger mandate and end political instability since the multi-billion dollar 1MDB scandal and COVID crisis.

The ruling United Malays National Organisation’s rush to hold polls that had been due by September next year comes as some of its leaders face the prospect of long jail terms over graft charges.

Malaysian PM to have ‘routine’ meeting with king amid calls to hold early polls

Factions pressing Ismail to hold early elections support former premier Najib Razak and party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, both of whom were charged with corruption after UMNO lost power in the 2018 election. They say they are victims of a political vendetta.