Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia will hold its general election March 8, the country's Election Commission announced on Thursday.

Candidates will be nominated Feb 24, Election Commission Chairman Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman said in Putrajaya, the administrative centre of Malaysia.

Candidates will vie for 222 parliamentary seats and 505 state seats. Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will lead the Barisan Nasional into the election for a second time.

On Wednesday, Badawi announced dissolution of parliament to pave the way for general elections.

The assemblies of all states except Sarawak were also dissolved on Wednesday after the chief ministers sought consent from their respective rulers.

Source : IANS