Malaysia calls general elections for May 5

Some 13 million people are eligible to vote in next month's general elections in Malaysia, election officials said Wednesday in announcing the dates for voting. Election commission chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof said voting would be conducted May 5, with early voting on April 30, Bernama reported. The deadline for nominations is April 20, Abdul Aziz said. Candidates will contest for 22 parliamentary seats and 505 state offices. The campaign period has been set for 15 days, two days longer than the 2008 election. The election was called after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak dissolved the country's parliament April 3. The commission is required to hold new elections within 60 days. Some 12,992,661 voters are listed on the electoral rolls, Abdul Aziz said. Some 275,341 more are listed as early voters, who include military and police personnel and their spouses and Malaysians living abroad. For the first time, voters will have their left index finger marked with indelible ink, disabled persons will be able to bring along another person to help them and police and military personnel will be allowed to vote early. The process of objection and withdrawal of a nomination has been abolished.